Minecraft creators’ next project is a strategy game: Scrolls

It should be noted that this isn't <i>technically</i> the Minecraft creators next project, it's a project done by a different team in the studio he formed. Mojang was formed after Minecraft's success, he hired his friend Jakob (among others) and he's leading the game -- Notch is still working on Minecraft.

Didn't cryptic comet do something similar with Armageddon's empire and solium infernum?<p>Also - cryptic comet deserves a mention - last I checked it was a one man show, (may have added 1 more person)and he had launched 2 lovingly created card based strategy games.<p>The first was pretty good fun to play (post-apoc earth empire building with card games! quite fun), and the second was very ambitious (you played as a prince of hell, and an entire meta game of subterfuge underlied your attempt to take-over hell.)<p>Whats cool about it is that I can easily see him with a little help getting his games on the mobile markets and crushing a lot of the competition. Worth a look - His blog on how he designs his games is here - <a href="http://www.crypticcomet.com/blog/" rel="nofollow">http://www.crypticcomet.com/blog/</a> Website - <a href="http://www.crypticcomet.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.crypticcomet.com/</a>

Interesting. A mate of mine also came up with an online MMO CCG concept. Naturally he wanted me to be his programmer in exchange for equity and well, that's about as far as things got.<p>Done properly, you can combine the variable-reinforcement ratio addictiveness of gambling, CCG deck purchase or WoW raiding with the massive cashflow potential of downloadable goods. Like CCGs it could be a license to print money, but with even lower costs.

This looks promising, it'll be interesting to see how they make it rely less on chance.<p>Is there a reason why this game needs to <i>look</i> like it's a cardgame when in reality it's not? That seems like a slightly clumsy metaphor for an epic war/battle in a fantasy universe. If you're making a card-game, then you're stuck with that. But if you're making a video game, why limit yourself like that?

The fact this has been announced so early on in the piece and has received such wide publication does not bode well. In all likelihood this game is a couple of years away from release. So it is going to be hard to live up to the expectations that are going to build up in that period (not impossible, see SC2). Then again this could be a calculated risk . .

I am amazed that an idea like this hasn't been completed before.<p>I read this article and realized that this is the same idea I started working on 8 years ago as a high school freshman. I just didn't have the experiences or resources to finish it or do it right.<p>I just dug up the code though and posted it on my blog if anyone wants to see what a freshman in high school wrote 8 years ago in VB6. <a href="http://www.ra726.net/blog/?p=119" rel="nofollow">http://www.ra726.net/blog/?p=119</a><p>I can't wait to play this, I've been waiting to play something like it for a long time now.<p>Just goes to show what you hear here all the time, just ship it. An idea can be great but it goes nowhere if you don't do anything about it.

Actually, there is another startup that recently released a similar online TCG called Shadow Era:<p><a href="http://www.shadowera.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.shadowera.com/</a><p>Both games seem to borrow more from the World of Warcraft TCG than MTG. Shadow Era is still at an early stage, but IMO quite enjoyable so far.

Sounds very similar to the trading card game inside of FreeRealms (free to play, www.freerealms.com).<p>If you like trading card games, it's worth checking out.

They say you'll be able to earn cards in single-player mode and sell them in in-game auctions; but how would this possibly be secured...?