GTS News: At the GAMA Trade Show Stone Blade Entertainment CEO Justin Gary talked to ICv2 about his company’s big plans for its popular Ascension Deck-Building Game.  The releases include the largest Ascension expansion ever, plus an entry level Ascension Apprentice game, and inexpensive Ascension Theme Packs.

 

Ascension: Rise of Vigil (MSRP $39.99), which is due out on April 3rd and contains a record 259 cards, is the fourth expansion for the popular Ascension Deck-Building Game.  Rise of Vigil is both a stand-alone game for 2-4 players and compatible with all the previous Ascension games with which it can be combined to support up to six players.  Rise of Vigil introduces a new type of card, the "Treasure" card, which can have a huge impact on game play and a new "Resource" energy, which can also have a major effect on the course of games.

 

In late summer Stone Blade will release Ascension Apprentice (MSRP $10.00), an inexpensive and easy-to-learn entry game that retailers can use to demo the game as well as to sell to consumers who want to try the game, but aren’t sure if they want to make a big investment in a game they have never played.

 

Also due in late summer is an assortment of four different Ascension Theme Packs (MSRP $4.99 each).  Each of the single-focus Theme Packs contains 12 cards built around popular characters like the "Rat King," the "Rat Queen," and "The Leprechaun." 

 

Gary also explained the recent name change of the company from Gary Games to Stone Blade Entertainment (see "'Ascension' Maker Now Stone Blade"), telling ICv2: "There are a couple of reasons.  We are now making not just physical games, but also digital games with SolForge by Richard Garfield.  In addition we are building our own IP. We want to see Ascension comic books and Solforge comics, so we think that we are much more of an entertainment company now.  ‘Stone Blade’ is gamer slang for just totally awesome stuff, so we like it."