Lo and behold Asmodee Digital has stayed true to their word and have released Carcassonne – Tiles & Tactics before the end of the year. Not only does this new version of Carcassonne deliver a worthwhile online multiplayer experience, but it's also cross-compatible with the Steam version that just so happens to have launched today as well. And if that wasn't enough to garner your interest you can also expect two unlockable expansions, all-new 3D graphics, and a solo mode for all of you Meeple lovers out there who want to brush up on your skills before diving into an online or local multiplayer match.
Just to cover a little bit of history of this game's existence on Android, Carcassonne used to be available on the Play Store from a different publisher called Exozet. After being left to languish for some time with few updates thrown its way Exozet pulled it from the Play Store due to their license finally running out. This is where Asmodee Digital comes into play as they decided to try and right the ship by creating a new digital version of the game for Steam and Android with plenty of upgrades over Exozet's previous version.
With that out of the way, you may be asking yourself what exactly Carcassonne – Tiles & Tactics has to offer? Well, as I mentioned above the fold you do get an asynchronous online multiplayer mode that works cross-platform with the Steam version as well as an offline mode that works through pass and play. There is also a solo mode for those that want to practice or simply play by themselves. The graphics have also been completely redone. The whole game is now displayed in 3D that makes it feel like you are playing from a bird's-eye view above a table. Two expansions are also included with this release. The Abbot can be unlocked by simply logging into your Asmodee account and the second expansion The River can be unlocked with a single $0.99 in-app purchase.
When you consider that Carcassonne – Tiles & Tactics is available for the low price of $1.99, purchasing extra expansions doesn't seem all that bad. And hey, this way you can count on more content coming your way, instead of the game being left to rot on the Play Store much like how Exozet mostly ignored their version.
Despite one IAP for unlocking an expansion, there are no other costs to this title currently. There are also no advertisements to ruin your immersion. What you see is what you get, which is pretty commendable. Sadly it does appear that Google Play Games Services are not supported. So if you plan on using your Google account to sign in, you will have to forget that. I suppose the inclusion of an Asmodee account sign-in is serviceable, but I think we can all agree that signing up for yet another account is often a pain.
So far my takeaway of Asmodee Digital's Carcassonne – Tiles & Tactics is that it is a fresh update of a classic board game. The inclusion of cross-platform asynchronous online multiplayer, local pass and play, and a solo mode ensure you will have plenty of ways to explore this great board game. The upgraded graphics are also pretty impressive and having two expansions available upon release that extend the game's mechanics is simply fantastic to see. While it may be a chore for those of you who have to repurchase the title, I can't say that Asmodee Digital is at fault. At the very least we all now have an excellent representation of Carcassonne on our platform, which is a win in my book no matter how you slice it.
PRESS RELEASE
New Carcassonne Game Now Available on Steam and Android
Round Up Your Meeples and Conquer a Medieval Landscape – Asmodee Digital Releases Award-Winning Tile Game for PC, Mac and Android
Paris - Nov. 29, 2017 – Asmodee Digital, leaders in digital board game entertainment, today announced the Steam launch of Carcassonne, the digital version of the award-winning tile-laying board game, for PC and Mac, along with an all-new version of the game for Android mobile devices.
Carcassonne presents an all new, 3D version of the classic game. Two to six players take on the roles of founders of the region as they build roads, abbeys and cities in online asynchronous multiplayer gameplay.
Simple to pick up but challenging to master, the new Carcassonne presents players with endless opportunities for tactical play. Within minutes, players will find themselves in tough situations - determining where to put their last meeple, whether to use tiles to expand the city, or to hinder their opponent. Players place only one tile each round, and have the option to place one meeple on it. Each game develops differently, full of boundless possibilities, and the quick-fire nature of the game ensures that Carcassonne always runs at a brisk pace.
Launching today on Steam for PC and Mac, Carcassonne is available at the discounted price of $9.99 for a limited time and comes complete with two popular expansions – The River and The Abbot - to further enhance in-game options.
In addition, Asmodee Digital’s new Android version of Carcassonne has been released with exciting new features, including beautiful new artwork, 2D and 3D perspective, pass-and-play mode, updated AI (three different AI behaviors thoroughly tested by Hans im Glück: Easy Neighbor, Fierce Egoist, and Risk-Taker) and asynchronous online play (cross-platform compatible with Android and Steam), including ranked games and leaderboards. It will be available at the discounted price of $1.99 for the first 30 days after launch and comes with the The Abbot expansion.
The game will continue to be developed with already many projects underway:
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Additional expansions coming after launch include Inns & Cathedrals, Traders & Builders and Princesses & Dragons.
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For all the Carcassonne pros, a Champion AI will be released for free within the next few months.
Art assets are available in the press kit here.
Asmodee Digital, a fully owned subsidiary of the Asmodee Group, is an international publisher and distributor of digital board games with operations located in Europe, North America, and China. Asmodee Digital manages the creation, design, development, publishing, and marketing of board and card games on leading digital platforms for Asmodee studios as well as for third-party publishers. The current Asmodee Digital catalog includes best-selling digital games such as Ticket to Ride, Splendor, Pandemic, Small World 2, Colt Express, Mysterium, Potion Explosion, Onirim, Jaipur, Spot It! Duel and digital versions of many other well-known board games.
Hans im Glück, founded 1981 in Munich, Germany, is an international boardgame publisher. Probably the best known brand held by HiG, is Carcassonne. This boardgames is licensed into about 30 languages and sold in about 36 countries. About 10.000.000 copies of this family were sold so far, only counting physical copies. Beside that, HiG has a strong reputation for strategic boardgames and won a large amount of international prices. For example 7 times the well known „Spiel des Jahres“ in Germany. Other successful games sold, are for example: Stone Age, The Voyages of Marco Polo and Majesty-for the realm.
Frima ( www.frimastudio.com) is a leader in the entertainment and innovation industry. Since its creation in 2003, the company has developed a wide range of digital products, from video games to visual effects to animation. Frima’s know-how also includes virtual reality, augmented reality, and connected toys. In addition to working in close collaboration with such prominent partners as LEGO, Mattel, Oddworld, Zynga, Ubisoft, Hasbro, and Electronic Arts, Frima’s original property division has released several hit titles, the likes of Chariot, Nun Attack, Zombie Tycoon, and FATED. With over 400 industry professionals on-board, the studio launches high-quality products that stand out both artistically and technologically.
© 2017 Asmodee Digital & Hans im Glück Carcassonne™ is a property of Hans im Glück. All rights reserved
