Publisher Dovetail Games has announced that the massively popular board game CATAN will be making its digital debut on consoles next year. CATAN: Console Edition will launch at some point in 2023 and promises to deliver the “authentic CATAN experience” for players on Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
The upcoming title, which has been designed off the back of the 27-year-long success of the original CATAN board game, is being developed by Nomad Games. There’ll be plenty of recognisable content for fans of the physical game to enjoy, as the island of CATAN has been recreated and brought to life through a series of intricately detailed tiles. The reveal of CATAN: Console Edition dropped with a brand new trailer that showcases the digital transformation of the island in its full glory. You can check it out for yourself right here to see how the video game version of CATAN measures up.
The game will feature local couch co-op play for locally up to four people, which is sure to replicate that classic board game vibe created by the board game itself. In addition, CATAN: Console Edition includes an online multiplayer mode, which also features a ranking system. Players will be able to link up with other CATAN players across the globe to gather resources and construct settlements on the island.
Natalie Dodd, Studio Producer at Dovetail Games, explained how important the developers’ attention to detail has been in the creation of CATAN: Console Edition. “We tried to pay attention to the little details, like the bunting that decorates the longest road or the little chimney when someone builds a city,” she explains, adding that “each part of the game has been carefully designed to bring the board to life.”
CATAN: Console Edition will also feature variable board setups to ensure variety in the look and feel of each game. Additionally, players who are taking part in a local match will be able to protect the privacy of the cards in their hand. This is thanks to the integration of an innovative phone-based tracking system, which Dodd has described as a “fantastic feature.” Essentially, whilst in a couch co-op game, players can connect to the action using their phone, via a QR code, and play from there. Using their phone to track which cards they have, players can then take part in local multiplayer without giving the game away on-screen.
While there’s no specific release date for CATAN: Console Edition as of yet, we do know that it’ll be coming to Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. If you’re eager to dive into the board game-based action, you can wishlist the title now on the PlayStation store. It’ll be listed on the Microsoft Store shortly as well.
