STAKES

A 1v1 tactical card game packaging the MOBA experience without a MOBA's frustrations, tedium or complexity, and without a collectable card game's acquisition costs. No role queue, no teammates, no item builds, no packs to open for a chase card — just four Lanes, twelve cards you picked yourself, and the nerve to double the Stakes, all inside a coffee break (or a bathroom break). Win two Lanes and the match is yours.

In development — PC & mobile

Join the Discord See the cards

How it plays

How to play

STEP I

Build a team.

Draft or select your 12 hero team. Each hero carries powerful keywords, effects and a deck role: Carry, Tank, Initiator, Support and others. While it's not required to fill each role, it is highly recommended to create a balanced team. Crack the meta with an open toolbox of cards!

STEP II

Four lanes. Win more.

Fight over four Lanes, all randomized every match to keep each game unique against new opponents bringing their own curated decks that suit their player expression. Each Lane bends the rules its own way. Earn Gold by attacking undefended Lanes or Destroying your opponent's heroes there.

STEP III

Commit what you want.

Players take their turns asynchronously then reveal their actions simultaneously. There is no gradual resource allocation, no mana, no ramp and no limit on how many cards you play in a turn — you could empty your hand on turn one but the turn after you spend everything, your opponent is answering a board you can hardly add to. Don't win the battle to lose the war.

STEP IV

Raise the Stakes.

Every game is played for Stakes, and it climbs by one every turn on its own. Each player can double the current Stakes once per game so know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.

Why play Stakes?

Playing games is a hobby.
Buying digital assets is not.

Don't rip packs looking for a card or login to earn in-game currency.: No packs to open, no daily missions, no duplicates or exclusive cards, all solved by instant access to the entire card library. Never feel behind because you weren't grandfathered in. All players have access to one free Book and Universal cards. We offer gamemodes like Draft that deal you and your opponent a deck on the spot from every card in the game, free, always, for everyone.
Bias against degenerate scaling mechanics.: Balance will avoid doubling effects, lean towards symmetrical effects, buffs that grow in your hand or deck (removing player interaction) and mechanics that lack player interaction. Card randomness is cut from the game so no match adds unbalanced random elements with cards that weren't brought from the start. When you lose, you can name the turn you lost it, and that is the whole point.
A MOBA with the chores taken out.: No role queue, no teammates to carry (or carry you), no itemization (turning people towards Best-in-Slot), no towers, no last-hitting. What survives is the part you actually remember: the momentum swings, outplaying the person across from you and competing!
The board changes.: We're tired of on curve, highest power, non-interactive and dynamic games. Balance and games are won in Stakes by changing the shape of the battlefield and shifting the approach through movement. Interactive decks will be favorably balanced and Control tools are always accessible to all players.
Balanced for fun, not for metrics.: Is a 50% win rate a perfectly balanced card? Our philosphy will be tuning whatever feels unfun or underpowered while listening to the most dedicated and top players of the community. We will make iterative changes frequently and transparently while reorganizing cards across Books.
Quality of life features over presentation.: We can't compete with AAA game studios for presentation but we will focus on features that enhance the player experience through client replays, deck-builder filters, deck trackers, an accessible card library, mobile support, your opponent's deck tracked as you play, hotkeys, mulligan, and more. Play comfortably and without having to use third-party tools.

Get in early.

Playtests, dev updates, reveal-season exclusives, and a community shaping the game. Come say hi.

Join the Discord

The room and the card strip are built in your browser. With JavaScript off you can still read the page, and the whole card library is at The Cards — that page needs scripting too, so the surest route in is the Discord.