Compass Point: West is Next Games’s debut, mixes strategy, card-collecting, and cowboys

Next Games’ debut has cards in the cards.

Finnish mobile games company Next Games announces its debut release, strategy game Compass Point: West, for iOS phones and tablets. The studio’s founding team comes from mobile powerhouses such Supercell, Rovio, and Disney Interactive, and they’re now out to kick off mobile’s next big IP. Its free-to-play, Wild West-themed game aims to get the mass casual audience in on card-collecting. Cards are hot in mobile gaming: Activision’s card battler Hearthstone has over 25 million registered users, has won multiple awards, and is currently a top-10 grossing card game in 31 countries, according to App Annie. Next Games’ attempt to make cards more accessible could go big in a mobile market that could reach more than $30 billion this year, predicts market research firm Newzoo.

Compass Point: West is just the first of a four-game series for the new IP, with North, East, and South following later.

“We want to create games that are both engaging and fresh. To this end, we wanted to build on a familiar foundation of gameplay patterns and themes that are relatable and intuitive to players,” Next Games CEO Teemu Huuhtanten told GamesBeat in a statement.

“However, this is not enough to be exciting in the modern marketplace. Our way to stand out was to create a set of memorable characters and introduce a card-collecting mechanic and boldly placing it in the heart of the game design. While this is risky and unproven, we feel it sets us apart from the competition and gives the gameplay both immediate rewards and longevity — there’s always a new hand to be dealt when you come back to the game after a while.”

The company says it has been testing a soft launch in Australia, Singapore, and Canada for several months now, which has helped it hone in on the card-collecting mechanic. Player feedback will be used to shape the game’s worldwide release.

“We couldn’t be more proud to launch our first game. With Compass Point: West, the debut game in the Compass Point series, we explore the action strategy genre from a fresh, new angle with our original take on card collecting. We’ve created a rich Wild West universe for players to experience firsthand, a setting largely uncharted in mobile games,” said Huuhtanen.

Next Games is partnering with comic book publisher IDW Publishing to create original comics to expand on Compass Point: West’s story. The two companies have a long-range plan for the game’s characters and backstory, and they have been building the comic from early in the game’s development process. The comic is now available on digital platforms such as Apple iBooks and Google Play, as well as on Compass Point: West’s official website.

In addition, the company is developing a mobile game based on AMC’s television series The Walking Dead.

The Helsinki, Finland-based group has raised $8 million to date, backed by some investors from the entertainment and media industries, including AMC Networks, IDG Capital, IDG Ventures, and Lionsgate. The backing fits the company’s goal of bridging mobile games and entertainment as well as its desire to collaborate with IP holders. But it will first enter the market with Compass Point: West, its own creation.