Games for a Living (GFAL), a Barcelona-based game development studio, is bringing back World War II: TCG, a digital strategy card game that has been unavailable since 2022. The company has announced that mobile testing will begin on November 26, 2026, with an open beta scheduled to launch on November 28 for iOS and Android devices.

The initial testing phase will be restricted to members of the GFAL community. Two days later, the game will open to a broader audience through Apple's App Store and Google Play.

GFAL plans to use the beta period to collect player feedback and evaluate gameplay performance before moving ahead with the full mobile release. The company has confirmed, however, that player progress and items earned during testing will be reset once the beta concludes. As a result, achievements and collectibles obtained during this window will not carry over to the final version. Progress resets of this kind are a routine part of beta testing, giving developers room to adjust balance and progression systems before the final build without test-period data constraining those changes.

The revival restores a historically themed strategy card game while introducing an updated mobile distribution plan and optional blockchain-based collectible features.

Gameplay Built Around Historical Military Units

Originally developed around World War II military history, the game lets players build customized decks containing cards that represent tanks, infantry, aircraft, warships, and submarines. The available units take inspiration from real military equipment fielded during the conflict, with examples including Japan's A6M Zero fighter aircraft and Germany's Tiger tank. Players can combine units from different countries within a single deck, creating opportunities to develop strategies around the interaction between unit abilities, equipment cards, and tactical orders.

The original gameplay system gives each player three action points per turn. These points can be spent deploying new units or upgrading military assets already positioned on the battlefield. Promoting a unit increases its attributes and can unlock additional abilities. An upgraded unit that is destroyed returns to the player's deck while retaining its improvements, allowing it to reappear in subsequent rounds.

Beyond standard card battles, the original release included historical missions, ranked multiplayer competitions, crafting systems, and cooperative raids. GFAL's revival is expected to bring that established gameplay experience to mobile audiences.

Backend Shutdown Forced the Original Game Offline

World War II: TCG first launched in 2014 under FrozenShard Games following a Kickstarter campaign that raised $18,001 from 199 backers. The game debuted on mobile platforms before expanding to Steam.

Its eventual shutdown was tied to the closure of GameSparks, the backend infrastructure provider supporting the title. GameSparks, which Amazon acquired in 2017, supplied the core server-side functionality that online games depend on, and its closure illustrates a structural dependency risk for such titles: when a provider discontinues its service, games built on that infrastructure can be forced offline unless migration to an alternative is feasible. In a notice published in 2022, the original developer explained that it had explored alternative backend providers but concluded that migrating the game would be too complicated, because a substantial portion of its functionality depended on GameSparks. FrozenShard subsequently removed the game from Apple's App Store, Google Play, and Steam in September 2022.

The revival has been facilitated by connections between the original development team and GFAL. Two FrozenShard co-founders now hold senior positions at the Barcelona-based studio: Christian Gascons serves as chief operating officer, while Marc Tormo holds the chief creative officer role. Their involvement creates a direct link between the team behind the original game and the company now overseeing its return.

Optional Web3 Collectibles and a Future PC Release

GFAL also plans to introduce blockchain-based ownership and trading features after the mobile beta concludes. Eligible digital collectible cards will eventually become available for ownership and trading through the GFAL Marketplace.

The studio confirmed the open beta timing in a post on X on November 11, 2026:

The wait is almost over! WWII: TCG Open Beta launches on November 28. Build your deck, command iconic WWII units, and join the battle on mobile. Thanks to @BCGbiz for covering our return! — GFAL (@GFAL_Official) November 11, 2026

The company has emphasized that blockchain participation will remain optional. Players will be able to construct decks, take part in battles, and experience the core gameplay without connecting a cryptocurrency wallet. GFAL has not yet disclosed a marketplace launch date or identified which collectible cards will qualify for trading — details that, together with the timing of the full mobile release and the planned PC rollout, remain the open questions to follow once testing begins. The optional Web3 model is intended to provide digital ownership and trading capabilities without making a crypto wallet a requirement for accessing the game's primary features.

A PC release is also planned, with distribution expected through Steam and the Epic Games Store.

GFAL Expands Its Development Roadmap

The revival was announced in October alongside two additional projects: Legends, a football management game, and Diamond Jewels Solitaire. According to the studio's development roadmap, all three titles are scheduled to enter testing during the fourth quarter. Legends is expected to receive an alpha release, while Diamond Jewels Solitaire is planned for beta testing.

The return of World War II: TCG forms part of GFAL's broader effort to expand its gaming portfolio across mobile and PC platforms while incorporating optional digital asset ownership features. With its open beta dates now fixed and Legends and Diamond Jewels Solitaire slated for testing in the same quarter, the studio's roadmap is moving from announcement toward playable, testable milestones.