At Gen Con, ICv2 spoke to Cryptozoic National Sales Coordinator Ryan Skinner about the company’s 2016 plans for its popular DC Comics Deck-Building Game, which include Crisis Expansion Pack 3 featuring the Suicide Squad, a new Rivals - Batman Vs. Superman set that introduces a game board, the next stand-alone big box release, and more Crossover Packs.

Like previous Crisis Expansions Packs (see “ 'Crisis Expansion Pack 2'”), this release will be intended for cooperative play. “That one’s going to feature the Suicide Squad as a concept, not associated with the film, of course, but basically featuring that comic book team as the bad guys,” Skinner said. “Just like we did Forever Evil, we’re playing off the villain theme for the time-being.”

The expansion will include the villains working cooperatively, but there is a new mechanic added to this release. “There’s a traitor-ish kind of mechanic in the set,” Skinner said. “Or there’s a 100% cooperative mode in there with new heroes you can play in competitive mode and all the usual Crises content. “ Release is planned for Q1 2016.

The DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Rivals-Batman vs. Superman set continues the two-player introductory product offering  that began with Rivals- Batman vs. The Joker (see “'DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Rivals Batman vs. The Joker'”). Release is planned to coincide with the upcoming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice film in March.  “It will not be film based. It’s going to be all comic book art so we’re going to be able to pull from stuff that’s not shown in the movie, but it will invoke a lot of the same characters and themes,” Skinner said. 

Cryptozoic is also developing a game board for the Rivals set. “[The board] will actually be split down the middle long-ways. It’ll have Batman on one side, Superman on the other. So if I’m playing Batman, I sit over here and you are staring down Batman on my side of the board and vice versa. That’ll be very cool. We’re excited for that one.”

Details on the next stand-alone box set for 2016 have not been finalized. “We are looking to do a team-up concept with it being a 2-on-2 type of game instead of an every-man-for-himself kind of a game, Skinner shared. “You’ll have a partner you’re working with in some way.”

Two more Crossover Packs will be released after December’s Watchmen Pack.  One will feature an “undermined villain theme,” Skinner said. “We don’t know what the villain theme will be yet but that will finish out the villain cycle for us. “

“Then we’ll have the sixth crossover, which will be based on The Flash television series, following The Arrow television series that we just released. “

The DC Comics Deck Building Game came it at #10 on ICv2’s most recent Top 10 Card/Dice Games (hobby channel) survey (see “Top 10 Card/Dice Games--Spring 2015”).

For other Cryptozoic announcements see “Cryptozoic's 'Ghostbusters' Plans, 'Attack on Titan' Update.”