PLAYISM recently launched the Steam Store page for Card Make Arena. The game is scheduled to release in Early Access on Steam sometime in 2026, with a closed beta test slated to be held from August 27 to September 7. Applications for the closed beta testing will be open until August 25, and all testers will be credited in game.
Disclosure: The publisher of this game, PLAYISM, is part of Active Gaming Media, the owner of this website.
Card Make Arena is a competitive card game in which players get to build decks with original cards they designed themselves and use them to battle their opponents.
Using mana received each turn, players can activate three different types of cards: Servants, which are used to attack and defend, Spells, which deliver one-time effects, and Land, which set the stage and activate effects when a Servant is placed on top of them. After the cards are placed on the board, battles unfold automatically, and victory is achieved when the HP of the opponent’s Leader drops to 0.
When it comes to card creation, players can set a custom mana cost, effect, activation conditions, name, flavor text and artwork for their cards. The game offers up to 60 different card effects (Damage, Recovery, Summoning, etc), which players can set to trigger upon various conditions – even the trickier ones like “no cards in hand” or “gain attack power depending on the size of the discard pile.”
While you have all the freedom to create your ideal deck, the game does enforce several rules and mechanisms to ensure battles are fair. First, the cost of making a card depends on the power of its effects, how wide its targeting reaches, and how easily it pays off. Stronger cards will, naturally, become more expensive, and there’s a cap on the total cost of cards players can have per deck. Additionally, the cost becomes increasingly bigger if the effect is stacked. This means that making an “instant win” card isn’t a viable option.
On the other hand, the game awards you with a bonus if you lock in with a deck that has a lower cost compared to that of your opponent. You also get extra points for winning with effects that have a lower usage rate, so being both economical and creative when designing your decks could be the key to victory.
For those who want to try out building an all-out “ultimate deck,” the game also offers a Room Battle mode, which has no cost restrictions. Other features include a ranking system, community card sharing, and casual battles where players fight using randomized community decks.
Card Make Arena is being developed by independent creator Lizardry, known for the hit visual novel 7 Days to End with You, and Refind Self: The Personality Test Game.
Card Make Arena is scheduled to release in Early Access on Steam in 2026. Applications for the closed beta test, set to be held from August 27 to September 7, are open until August 25.
