A large variety of games making use of cards have been around for a very long time. One of the earliest references to cards being used for games dates back all the way to the Tang dynasty in 9th century China. Playing cards found popularity in China, and different kinds of decks were created.
Europe had to wait a few centuries until the first few variants arrived around year 1300. The variant which most closely resembles our modern version of 52 cards is a version invented in France, with the well-known Hearts, Cloves, Spades and Diamonds. Having been around for more than millennia, card games ascending to the online world is hardly a surprise to anyone.
Trading Card Games became hugely popular in the 80s and 90s, mainly through the American Magic: The Gather and the Japanese Pokémon trading card games. We’ve also seen cards historically used as a form of prophecy with Tarot Cards and in various forms of gambling. The have certainly been aiding with paving the way for the now most popular genre – Online Card Games.
Hearthstone – Blizzard Entertainment are a known giant in the online gaming industry with some of the most successful games in the business. The three main universes – WarCraft, StarCraft and Diablo – has been the foundation for dozens of hit games such as World of Warcraft. Hearthstone is based on the Warcraft universe and is undisputedly the largest name in Online Collectible Card Games.
Shadowverse– One of the contenders for the number one spot is this Japanese card game. Shadowverse has with its original take on the genre been able to contend with the giant, Hearthstone, for the number one spot in Asia. Even though it sports a huge fanbase in Asia it is unlikely to see the same kind of popularity in the west as Hearthstone.
Black Jack and Poker – It would be impossible to mention these two games in a list like this without the mention of Black Jack and Poker. Having been among the most popular casino games throughout history being brought to online platforms only increased the already massive popularity. It’s different from fighting with your orcs and elves in Hearthstone but the charm of placing your bets on the online felt is certainly a huge thrill.
Gwent – Competing in the same Genre as Hearthstone and Shadowverse, this spinoff from the hugely successful The Witcher series is by all means a prime contender for the number one spot. Although still in a closed beta phase, Gwent has already accumulated a massive fanbase. Gwent is going into Open Beta on May 24th this week and is sure to make waves in the world of online card games.
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