Splinterlands unveils new endless Survival mode
Approaching its 8th year, blockchain TCG Splinterlands has announced the forthcoming introduction of a new gameplay mode. Although no date has been confirmed, the developer hopes to roll out the initial version within the next few months.
Called Survival, it will be the third mode to be introduced since the game’s launch, complementing the existing Modern and Wild formats. Initially released as a test version, Splinterlands emphasises that it expects its community members to contribute with feedback and ideas that could change and improve the new battle mode.
For now, however, the plan is that Survival mode will be free to join, and allow the use of any card – apart from Gladiator cards without a Conscript Summoner or Ruleset.
In contrast to Modern and Wild, no energy will be required to enter Survival matches. This means users can play for as long as they are able, but when a card dies during a battle, that card won’t be able to be used again in any matches for a limited time. In that sense, the cards serve as the energy and will limit how many battles a player can play. The time of a card’s death or “cooldown period”, will be determined by its rarity, level and foil.
In terms of gameplay, this introduces a totally new strategic element, with a focus on combining and collecting cards, instead of solely looking to set up the strongest possible team for each battle. As a result, Splinterlands also foresees Survival mode being an incentive for players to get more than one copy of certain cards they need in order to be successful.
Most other features including seasons, resets, rating system and matchmaking, will be the same as the existing modes.
Notably, Survival mode will also have an SPS reward pool of the same size as Modern and Wild. Players will earn SPS for each win based on the reward shares they earned in that battle, compared to the total number of reward shares earned from all Survival mode battles over the past 15 days. Additionally, there will be leaderboard rewards for the highest rated players at the end of each ranked play season.
