Faeria
A living board collectible card strategy game.
Faeria blends digital collectible card gameplay with a turn-based strategy board that shifts as players act. In this fantasy setting, two opponents face off on a hexagonal grid, each starting with a thirty-card deck. At the start of a turn, a player draws a card and gains three Faeria, plus an extra for each Faeria well they control by placing a creature next to it. They then pick one action from a Power Wheel—gain Faeria, draw a card, or place land tiles—and can play any number of cards they can afford, limited by Faeria cost and land requirements. Creatures, structures, and instant events make up the cards; creatures can be summoned onto owned tiles, move one space per turn after their summoning turn, and attack adjacent enemies. The goal is to reduce the opponent’s avatar health to zero while managing tile placement to control movement across the board. Winning matches earns in-game currency for buying card packs and customizing decks. Single-player content includes tutorials, puzzles, and challenges. Battle mode lets players use custom decks against others, while Pandora mode is a draft format where players build a deck from random cards and earn rewards based on wins until three losses end the run. An integrated tournament system supports monthly official e-sport competitions.
Development of Faeria began conceptually in 2005 and entered constant work in 2010. Belgian studio Abrakam funded part of it through a Kickstarter campaign in November 2013, raising $94,008. The game launched on Steam Early Access in March 2016, with a full release in March 2017. Its first expansion, “Adventure Pouch: Oversky,” arrived in August 2017. In December 2015, the business model shifted from pay-once to free-to-play, which went live in August 2016. On March 30, 2018, Abrakam announced the end of mobile support and a return to a buy-to-play model, which took effect on July 18, 2018, with the Fall of Everlife expansion. A PlayStation 4 port came on November 3, 2020, featuring full cross-play with existing versions.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Faeria
- Developer
- Abrakam
- Publisher
- Versus Evil
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows · macOS · Linux · Xbox One · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4
- Release
- Microsoft Windows, macOS, LinuxWW · March 8, 2017Xbox One, Nintendo SwitchWW · August 13, 2020PlayStation 4WW · November 3, 2020
- Genre
- Collectible card game, turn-based strategy
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The earliest concepts for Faeria began in 2005, and it has been in constant development since 2010. The game was partially funded through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign by Belgian studio Abrakam, raising $94,008 towards its development in November 2013. Faeria entered Steam Early Access in March 2016, and had its official release a year later in March 2017. Its first expansion pack, "Adventure Pouch: Oversky" was released in August 2017.
In December 2015, it was announced that Faeria would transition from a "pay once and play forever" model into free-to-play and in August 2016, Faeria officially went free-to-play. On March 30, 2018, Abrakam announced the end of support for mobile versions of Faeria and a transition from free-to-play back to a buy-to-play model. Free-to-play officially ended on July 18, 2018, with the release of the Fall of Everlife expansion. A port for PlayStation 4 was released on November 3, 2020, with full cross-play with existing versions.
Reader's Guide
Faeria combines a digital collectible card game with a "living" game board concept, where players battle one-on-one on an empty hex board with two avatars and four Faeria wells. Each player starts with a deck of thirty cards. At the start of a turn, a player draws a card and gains three Faeria, with extra Faeria from controlled wells. The Power Wheel allows gaining Faeria, drawing a card, or placing land tiles. Cards include creatures, structures, and events, with creatures requiring specific lands to summon. The goal is to reduce the opponent's avatar health to zero. Winning games earns in-game currency for new card packs. The game includes single-player content, puzzles, and challenges. Battle mode lets players use custom decks, while Pandora mode is a draft-based approach where players build a deck from randomly offered cards and attempt wins until three losses. Faeria features an in-game integrated tournament mode and holds monthly official e-sport competitions.
Did You Know?
- Faeria was partially funded through a Kickstarter campaign raising $94,008 in November 2013.
- The game transitioned from a pay-once model to free-to-play in August 2016, then back to buy-to-play in July 2018.
- Faeria features an in-game integrated tournament mode and monthly official e-sport competitions.
- The PlayStation 4 port, released November 3, 2020, includes full cross-play with existing versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Faeria and what makes it different from other card games?
Faeria is a turn-based strategy game by Abrakam that layers digital collectible card play onto a shifting hexagonal board shared by two opponents. Instead of a static battlefield, the terrain itself changes as players place land tiles, making board control a core part of every match.
How does the Faeria resource system work each turn?
At the top of your turn you automatically receive three Faeria, plus one extra for every Faeria well you have a creature adjacent to. You then spend that resource to play creatures, structures, or instant events, with each card carrying its own cost.
What is the Power Wheel and what choices does it give you?
The Power Wheel is the single mandatory action you select at the start of your turn, offering three options: gain additional Faeria, draw an extra card, or place a new land tile on the grid. After locking in that choice you may play as many cards as your remaining Faeria and available land allow.
Which platforms is Faeria available on?
The game launched on desktop in 2017, arrived on Xbox One and Nintendo Switch in August 2020, and reached PlayStation 4 in November 2020. It holds a Metacritic score of 80 out of 100.
How was Faeria funded before it hit stores?
Developer Abrakam crowdfunded roughly $94,008 through a Kickstarter campaign to help bring the project to completion. The title shipped on PC first in 2017 before the console ports followed in 2020.
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