Scythe, Jamey Stegmaier's engine-building strategy game set in an alternate 1920s Europe, landed on Board Game Arena on 31 March. Players have not held back: nearly 80,000 games have already been played on the platform.
For anyone who hasn't tried it, five factions compete for territory using mechs, resources, and careful planning. It is one of the highest-rated games on BoardGameGeek and supports 2-5 players, with games averaging around 50 minutes on BGA.
Board Game Arena described it as "one of those rare strategy games that looks like a war game but plays like something far more thoughtful." The digital adaptation was built by community developers Tisaac and vincentt, with support from Stegmaier and Stonemaier Games.
Scythe joins BGA's catalogue of over 1,250 games, all playable for free in your browser. For anyone curious about the game but hesitant to commit to the physical copy (which runs around $60-80), this is a risk-free way to find out what the fuss is about.
Stonemaier is also sharing revenue from the BGA version with The Knights of Unity, the studio behind Scythe Digital Edition on Steam.
Wingspan already proved that Stonemaier titles thrive on the platform. With 80,000 games played in its opening days, Scythe looks set to follow the same path.
Sources: Board Game Arena | BGA News | BGG