Citadels has been a card-game-shelf staple for a quarter of a century, and now it is getting a version built purely for two. Z-Man Games has revealed Citadels Duel, a head-to-head reworking of the medieval city-building classic, due in late 2026.
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Set up your group for freeThe original Citadels first appeared in France as Citadelles in 2000, designed by Bruno Faidutti, and was a Spiel des Jahres finalist that year before spawning numerous editions over its 25 years. Its hook is the character draft: each round you secretly pick a role, from the Assassin who knocks out an opponent's chosen character to the Thief, the King and the Architect, then use that power to build districts into your city. With a full table it is a game of bluffing and reading your rivals.
Duel is not just the same game with fewer seats. Designed by Guillaume Montiage and Manu Rozoy, it is a ground-up redesign for two, rebalanced so the tension holds across a single opponent. Rather than each racing to build a city of your own, the two of you now wrangle over one shared city, swaying its council and racing to put your stamp on its districts. It keeps the secret character selection that makes Citadels tick while tuning the maths for a tight back-and-forth.
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Start organising for freeFor couples and two-player households who have watched the games-for-two scene boom in recent years, a dedicated Citadels is a tempting prospect. It is a 30-minute game for ages 10 and up, due to arrive in late 2026.
Sources: Z-Man Games | Z-Man announcement | Wikipedia
