In an unexpected move, Counterplay Games released the source code and game assets for its free-to-play collectible card game/turn-based strategy hybrid Duelyst, which had been sunset in early 2020. The community will now be able to rebuild the game in any way they see fit.
Richard Heyne, a Producer at Counterplay Games, explained the decision with an open letter.
We are experiencing some major changes in our industry: new technologies and consoles, and even massive consolidations that have occurred over the past couple of years. While only time will tell how these changes will alter the landscape, these shifts can potentially hit indie developers the hardest. That's why we want to recognize that these developers, be they sole individuals or small teams, are vital for the growth and diversity of our industry.
One way to support aspiring developers is to release source code from older games so that anyone can use it to build their own dream projects and games. The disappointing fact is that this is a rather rare occurrence, as many developers don't have the opportunity to release their code.
This is the perfect gift for those looking to forge their own turn-based strategies, decorate their own game with pixel art, or even just rekindle some of that Duelyst magic. We are excited to see what new life our work on Duelyst will take on in your hands and wish to share in your adventures! There are already early projects taking form. First, we’d like to specifically thank Will for his contributions directly to the repo as we worked to stand it up to share with the community. If you want to keep up-to-date or get involved with his efforts, checkout his OpenDuelyst Discord server! We also would like to give a shoutout to Dream Sloth Games for their efforts on launching Duelyst II. These are just some of the early examples of what we think is possible with Duelyst’s source code being out in the open.
Counterplay Games is perhaps most widely known for Godfall, its melee-focused looter slasher fantasy game. You can read more about it in our review.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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