Web3 game developer Immortal Games Ukraine has officially launched Season 3 of Dark Country on October 13, 10 AM UTC, about 10 months after the second season took place.

What Is Dark Country?

Dark Country is a free to play NFT trading card game set in a Gothic Wild West universe, blending horror with strategic card combat and RPG elements that have players upgrade buildings to gather various resources. Players choose from one of four factions and then build decks of creatures, spells, and items to face off against opponents in standard turn-based card battles.

Each faction has its own strengths. The Resolute Rangers rely on balance and physical combat with healing support. The Destructive Horde mixes undead and dark magic but is vulnerable to natural magic, while the Cunning Crusaders excel in stealth and opportunistic plays, and the Ancestral Guard draws on nature and elemental power for close combat.

Cards carry a variety of different keyword abilities to deepen turn-based strategic gameplay. One of them is Fortify, which forces enemies to target prioritized creatures first. Then there’s Stealth, which prevents targeting, while Root makes a creature skip its next attack, and Onslaught carries extra attack damage onto the enemy hero if the opposing card has been destroyed. There are also Guardian, Audit, Mute, Deploy, Last Word, Frenzy, Inspire, Bloodsteal, Regeneration and more keywords that add further gameplay depth.

If you enjoy card games such as Gods Unchained and Parallel TCG, then you’ll easily get to grips with this web3 take on the genre, which features the usual casual PvP, ranked battles, and competitive tournaments to earn XP and prizes in.

Despite the lack of announcements and activity on the game’s official X profile, it looks like the F2P cross-chain title is up and running years after release on WAX and Flow, and now finally has a new season to play to earn various rewards in.

What’s New in Season 3?

Season 3 largely carries over many of the mechanics from Season 2. This means that leveling via XP, reward drops at key thresholds, and leaderboard-based payouts are also very much working in the same way for this new competitive period as well.

Progression in this season is said to begin with “modest” XP requirements that grow as you move up levels. The reward structure remains similar: basic rewards like gold, season packs, and standard packs are given at many levels, but hitting key strategic levels such as level 5 is said to yield more generous rewards, including a Season Pack, which usually comes with more powerful or rarer cards to add to your deck.

The XP system is largely unchanged from Season 2, meaning that each casual win awards 125 XP, every ranked win is worth 500 XP, while losing a ranked match does give you 250 XP. These amounts ensure that playing ranked matches is significantly more lucrative than casual games, though casual games still yield some gains to possibly grind for.

Season 2’s reward framework is carried forward into this new iteration. If you end up being the highest-ranked player of the season, you’ll win 15 packs and $250 USD, while second-best snags 12 packs and $200 USD, and 3rd place is rewarded with 10 packs and $150 USD. A Golden Seasonal Victory Card Back is awarded exclusively to 1st place, while 2nd and 3rd receive Silver and Bronze Card Backs. The top 50 players are also set to win some special rewards alongside USD and packs, as shown in the full reward distribution table:

Place Packs USD Special Reward Common Native Cards Rare Native Cards Epic Native Cards 
1 15 250 Golden seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 
2 12 200 Silver seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 
3 10 150 Bronze seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 
4 8 100 Seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 
5 5 75 Seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 
6 4 50 Seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 
7–10 3 50 Seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 
11–15 3 30 Seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 
16–20 2 25 Seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 
21–25 1 15 Seasonal victory card back 4 2 1 

While those in the top ranks receive USD, packs, and exclusive card backs, all of the top 50 also could be getting bonus native rare cards, just like in the previous season.

How to Play and Earn in Dark Country Season 3

To play and earn NFTs and USD in Season 3 of Dark Country, you’ll have to clinch one of the top 50 leaderboard spots through competitive TCG gameplay.

Since XP rewards are much higher in ranked PvP matches, focusing your time there could accelerate leveling and have you unlock more rewards in the process through the in-game progression system, helping you consistently compete throughout the season. A ranked win nets 500 XP, making it 4 times more effective than a casual win. However, losses still give 250 XP in ranked, which is more than you’re given for winning casual games, so participation is rewarded even when matches don’t go in your favor. Casual play is less rewarding but still useful, as each casual win gives 125 XP, making it a decent mode to test new decks in or grind when ranked queues are long.

Weekly tournaments can also help you climb the seasonal leaderboard, as they award considerable amounts of XP for the top 5 entrants.

The more active you are, the better your chances will likely be of winning rewards from this season. Last season, players had 2 months to fight for the top leaderboard spots, and Season 3 is likely set to run for just as long as well. If you want to try and win some NFTs and USD, then you can get started by downloading the game for free on an Android mobile device through the Google Play Store, or on PC via the official website, Ultra, or itch.io, with the indie platform also featuring a Mac build.