WARENA wants 1v1 card duels to play like an RTS — and it just hit Steam

Why WARENA’s Steam page caught my attention

This one caught my attention because Part Time Monkey is pitching something that sounds rare: a 1v1, skill-first card battler that feels more like real-time strategy than a turn-based deckbuilder. The Steam store page and trailer went live in late February and the developer is actively asking for wishlists and playtest sign-ups – a classic indie move, but one that matters when the core promise is competitive integrity and tight mechanical depth.

• Wareena pairs a “constantly shifting mana economy” with mid-match Hero Skills and Runes, prioritizing timing over micromanagement.
• Targeted at competitive PC players with 1v1 duels and a stated no pay-to-win stance, but monetization details are still missing.
• Single-player campaign included to teach and sharpen skills, while the studio is a one-person indie operation – important for post-launch cadence.

Breaking down the pitch: what WARENA actually is

Part Time Monkey’s new title strips out the heavy unit micromanagement of a traditional RTS and funnels player decisions into a mana economy and timing execution. You build a deck, but instead of slow turns you make snap resource choices in real time – when to spend mana, when to hold for a bigger play, and how to react to your opponent’s tempo. Mid-match choices like Hero Skills and Runes allow for on-the-fly evolution of strategy, so a duel can swing not because someone drew better, but because they timed a combo or adapted to an opponent’s play pattern.

The game is explicitly aimed at competitive PC players: 1v1 duels, precision controls, and a promise of “no pay-to-win” monetization. There’s also a single-player campaign meant to teach mechanics and sharpen reaction speed. It’s PC-exclusive at launch and the Steam page lists a 2026 window, with playtest sign-up and wishlist calls to action already live.

Why this matters — and where the press blur needs scrutiny

This matters because the market is hungry for competitive, reflex-driven multiplayer that rewards execution over grind. WARENA’s core idea—mixing RTS timing with card-battler economy—could land as a fresh, high-skill 1v1 experience if balance and latency are nailed. The mid-match Hero Skill and Rune systems give matches a dynamic arc beyond static decks, which is smart design for keeping high-level play interesting.

However, the Steam page leaves crucial questions unanswered. “No pay-to-win” is a good start, but the monetization model is unspecified: a single purchase, cosmetics-only monetization, or free-to-play with paid progression all imply different long-term ecosystems and community incentives. For a 1v1 competitive game, monetization affects matchmaking, balance priorities, and the incentive to maintain ranked systems and anti-cheat measures.

The solo-studio origin is admirable — Part Time Monkey is essentially a one-man company — but that raises realistic limits on patch cadence, esports support, and post-launch community management. Several recent indie competitive launches have shown that early playtests and transparent developer communication are essential to avoid the fate of titles that launch undercooked or imbalanced.

Context in the current competitive deckbuilder scene

Wareena arrives amid a crowded indie moment for tactical PvP and hybrid card/RTS systems. Other small studios have been jockeying for attention with early access windows and closed betas; timing and clarity on a competitive roadmap will determine whether WARENA becomes a niche skill-driven favorite or fades into the shuffle. The decision to favor PC-only controls and a 1v1 focus is the right one for competitive credibility, but the studio still needs to show it can support ranked ladders, anti-cheat, and balance patches.

What to watch next

• Playtest details and dates — early access to testers will reveal mechanical polish and server performance.
• Monetization reveal — whether the game is pay-once, F2P with cosmetic monetization, or something else.
• Competitive features — ranked ladders, leaderboards, match replays, and anti-cheat plans.
• Developer transparency — frequency of patches and responsiveness to community feedback given the one-person studio reality.

TL;DR

WARENA’s Steam page promises a compelling blend of RTS timing and card-battler economy that could deliver a high-skill 1v1 experience. The idea of mid-match evolution via Hero Skills and Runes is smart design for keeping duels fresh, but the indie, one-person studio must prove it can support competitive infrastructure and reveal its monetization model before this moves from intriguing pitch to lasting contender.