Digital Demo, Sumo Sensei Preview, Advanced Gameplay
about 1 year ago
– Fri, Jul 11, 2025 at 07:25:47 PM
Hi challengers!
We’ve got a packed update for you today, so let’s jump right in.
Digital Demo
Thanks to the awesome work of our community member @DT, you can now play the digital demo of Fight Deck online! No installs, no Tabletop Simulator needed — just head to https://fightmenow.azurewebsites.net and jump straight into the action.
You can play against the AI to learn the game or jump into PVP by creating or joining a room. All three preview decks are ready to go: Dragon Fighter, Covenant Supreme, and Doom Vicar. Just click the link and start playing!
Fighter Preview - Sumo Sensei
Time to meet the indomitable wall of discipline and muscle: Sumo Sensei!
He specializes in powerful throw moves and introduces a new Letter Speed type: I, short for i-frame. This makes his move invulnerable unless the opponent hits with a matching hitbox.
Some of his attacks require burning extra cards from your hand, but with the right timing, Clutch Focus lets you recover quickly and stay in control.
What do you think of the i-frame mechanic? Could Sumo Sensei be your main?
Advanced Gameplay - Distance, Range, & Move Types
We’re always looking for fresh ways to evolve Fight Deck’s gameplay and capture that competitive fighting game energy. This new Distance, Range, and Move Types mechanic builds on the standard ruleset, offering a more strategic and immersive experience for advanced players.
In this advanced mechanic, a Distance Counter tracks the space between fighters. Players can burn meter cards to adjust the Distance Counter, and fighting moves can only be played if the current Distance value is within their Range.
Each move also features a Move Type. These tags provide additional special effects on top of the standard Dynamic Effects. For example, Ranged moves gain Speed the farther you are from your opponent, while Close moves double their Speed when you're right next to your opponent.
This mechanic will be used in Neutral Rounds only to avoid overcomplicating the rest of the gameplay. It is not part of the standard ruleset, so new players don’t need to learn it as part of the core experience.
The mechanic is still experimental and currently going through playtests. More information will be shared in future updates.
Luna Sentinel Visual Update
A new look is on the horizon for Luna Sentinel! Our magical fighter is getting a visual glow-up to better reflect her cosmic energy and heroic charm. This update brings her closer to the aesthetic she deserves: graceful, fierce, and ready to defend the realm under moonlight.
That’s all for now!
We hope you give the digital demo a try and let us know how you would improve it. Also, feel free to share your thoughts on Sumo Sensei's fighter kit and the advanced Distance/Range mechanic. Always happy to hear from you!
- Hanz
Pledge Manager Live, Doom Vicar Unleashed, Tournament Sign-Ups, and UKGE
about 1 year ago
– Thu, May 29, 2025 at 05:23:47 PM
Hi Challengers,
We’ve got a packed update today with some big news. Let’s get right to it:
Pledge Manager is Live
After resolving some initial technical issues, the pledge manager is now fully online. Everyone should now be seeing the correct shipping rates, which closely match the estimates from the Kickstarter campaign.
If you still haven’t received your pledge manager email, or continue to see incorrect shipping rates, please DM me or email [email protected] and we’ll sort it out quickly.
Doom Vicar Available on Tabletop Simulator
Doom Vicar is now fully playable in Fight Deck's Tabletop Simulator mod!
He’s a relentless, heavy-hitting fighter who thrives when stocked up on meter. With access to high-damage combos, one mistake could mean facing the full force of his massive axe.
Try him out now and see why he’s not to be taken lightly.
King of the Dragon Gauntlet Tournament
Put together by our lovely backer Sompursone, the first Fight Deck tournament is officially open for registration!
It’s free to enter and comes with a real prize pool:
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1st place: $50 gift card (platform of your choice)
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2nd place: $20 gift card (platform of your choice)
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3rd place: $5 Steam gift card
It will take place at 2 PM EST on Saturday, June 21st. All games will be played via Fight Deck's Tabletop Simulator mod and communicate through Fight Deck's Discord channel.
We’re not expecting a massive turnout, so if you sign up, you just might take home a prize!
Fight Deck at UK Games Expo
Fight Deck is currently being presented by Dina Said So studio at UK Game Expo!
If you're attending UKGE, stop by Booth 3-962 and you will see Fight Deck is live and on display!
Come say hi, check out the game in person, and chat with the team. We'd love to meet you!
As always, thank you for your continued support. Your enthusiasm and feedback have brought Fight Deck to life and pushed it further than we ever imagined.
If you have any feedback or just want to hang out with the community, join us on Discord!
- Hanz
Pledge Manager, Tariffs, & Visual Updates
over 1 year ago
– Sat, May 03, 2025 at 10:38:43 AM
Hi Challengers,
It’s been a while, but we’ve been hard at work behind the scenes. Here’s the latest on Fight Deck’s progress, including some important decisions and exciting upgrades.
Pledge Manager Almost Ready
We're happy to announce that the Pledge Manager is set up and nearly ready to launch! A small group of backers has already received invitation links to complete their orders—this helps us identify and fix any major issues before the full rollout. Once we confirm everything is working smoothly with Back Office (our fulfillment partner) and BackerKit (our Pledge Manager platform), we'll open access to all backers early next week.
For Prelaunch VIPs: Your exclusive bonus content or shipping credit will be added manually. This may take a little extra time, but don’t worry—we won’t lock in your order until you’ve confirmed your VIP rewards are properly applied. Don't worry if you do not see your bonus skin pack or shipping discount right away.
Our Response to US Tariffs
One of the major factors delaying our Pledge Manager setup was the recent US tariff changes. This has caused quite a stir in the Kickstarter community, with many projects passing these additional costs on to backers.
After careful consideration, we've made the decision to absorb these tariff costs ourselves - as long as there are no further percentage increases. In another word, we will not pass any additional tariff-related costs to our backers for the time being. We envision Fight Deck becoming a flagship series for Studio Octane Elevé, and we believe absorbing these costs now will lead to greater long-term success for everyone involved.
That said, given the ongoing volatility of tariff policies, we'll continue monitoring the situation closely and will update you if any changes to this policy become necessary.
Full Visual Overhaul
We've been busy behind the scenes this past month giving Fight Deck a complete visual makeover! Nearly all artistic elements have been updated to ensure better branding consistency. Check out some of the improvements:
We're currently applying these new visuals to the original card files, which has temporarily delayed the Tabletop Simulator mod update. However, we're aiming to release the updated mod within the next week.
What do you think of these changes? We'd love to hear your thoughts—comment below or DM us with your feedback!
Personal Update
As mentioned previously, I've spent the past few weeks abroad reuniting with family. While this did cause some workflow disruptions (and fewer updates than I'd have liked), I'm happy to share that I'll be returning to Montreal on May 10th and diving back into the project at full capacity.
What's Next?
- Pledge Manager launches for all backers next week
- Tabletop Simulator mod update arriving soon
- More behind-the-scenes progress as we push toward production
- An experimental mini-tournament? (more to be revealed)
We're incredibly grateful for your continued support and patience. Fight Deck wouldn't be possible without this amazing community. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions!
- Hanz
Pledge Manager, Card Makeover, and Doom Vicar Coming in April
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Apr 03, 2025 at 01:08:11 PM
Hey Fight Deck Challengers,
It's been a little over weeks since the campaign ended. Here is a quick update on what we've been working on.
Pledge Manager & Late Pledges
We are actively working with our partner Back Office to set up the Pledge Manager. It’s currently estimated to go live around mid/late April. Late Pledges will also be available for anyone who missed the campaign as soon as the Pledge Manager is properly set up.
Standard Card Visual Update
Thanks to the extra effort of our talented graphic designer, the standard cards have received a makeover. The new design looks even more dynamic and punchy, and the visual clarity of functional elements (e.g. stance & hitbox) are significantly improved!
Take a look for yourself:
The Dynamic Effect and Hit Confirm Effect icons are also getting a visual refresh to match the new style in the coming updates.
What do you think of the new look? Drop a comment and let us know what catches your eye!
Doom Vicar Almost Ready
As promised, Doom Vicar’s standard deck is now complete and ready to join the Tabletop Simulator mod for preview play. All the card files are done, and we’re just taking a little extra time to fine-tune and balance his kit before making it public.
You can expect Doom Vicar to go live on TTS in our next update, coming later in April.
U.S. Tariffs
It’s hard to avoid the topic these days. Recent changes to U.S. trade policies have introduced new tariffs that could impact the cost of goods imported into the country, including board games.
While the full scope of these changes is still unfolding, we want to reassure our U.S. backers that we’re staying on top of the situation. We're actively working with our manufacturing and fulfillment partners to find solutions that minimize the impact on you. Whether that means adjusting logistics, exploring alternate shipping routes, or absorbing part of the cost ourselves, our priority is to ensure a smooth and affordable delivery experience.
We'll keep you updated as we get more clarity, but rest assured—our commitment to delivering Fight Deck at the best possible value remains unchanged.
On A Personal Note
On the very first day of Fight Deck's Kickstarter campaign, my grandfather passed away. While it was a challenging time, I remained focused on making sure the campaign ran smoothly from start to finish.
Now that things have settled, I’ll be taking a brief trip abroad to be with loved ones. There may be a slight delay in updates during this period, but I’ll continue to share key information as it becomes available.
Thank you all again for your incredible support! We're committed to delivering a high-quality game and keeping you in the loop every step of the way. Let's catch up again soon!
- Hanz
Here comes a grateful challenger!
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 09:56:41 AM
Over a year in the making, and here we are—successfully funded and moving forward! What started as a vision to bring the high-octane simulation of fighting games onto the tabletop is now becoming a reality, and it’s all because of YOU.
A round of applause to all 406 of you challengers who stepped into the ring with us. You made this project possible. Your belief, support, and passion have turned Fight Deck into something incredible.
But the fight isn’t over yet! In true fighting game protagonist fashion, this is just the beginning of the journey. We’ll keep pushing forward, overcoming challenges, and making sure that when Fight Deck reaches your hands, it’s the absolute best it can be.
Missed the campaign? Looking to upgrade your pledges? Don’t worry! The Pledge Manager will be opening soon, and we’ll have a late pledge/pre-order page available. More details to come!
For now, take your well-earned victory lap. We’ll be back with updates soon!
- Hanz
