Showdown Community Update - 9 July

New player onboarding is the priority

Much of the current work is focused on making the app easier to navigate for newcomers, including simpler tournament entry, easier deposits and a clearer player profile. A new referral system will let players earn a share of rake from friends they bring into the game.

Deck sizes and card pools

One of the bigger changes for experienced players: decks will move from a flexible 25 to 30 card range to a fixed 30 cards. Each class will expand from 16 to 20 cards, meaning four new cards per class alongside reworks to some existing cards.

Stan explained the fixed deck size is about consistency and reducing confusion for new players, while the new cards are designed to shake up the past metas so returning veterans don't hold an overwhelming advantage over newcomers.

Two-month seasons are coming

Showdown will move from one-month to two-month seasons, each bringing fresh card changes and mechanical updates. The idea is to give every season a genuine sense of renewal.

Daily quests and ranked progression

Quests will now be tracked directly in the client rather than manually through Discord. Completing a quest, such as making a straight flush, will trigger an in game notification and a reward, either Showpoints or tournament tickets.

The leaderboard is also being reworked into a ranked tier system similar to those seen in games like League of Legends or Hearthstone, replacing the current straightforward number climb.

Tournaments will be the focus for real stakes

The leaderboard and quick match experience are primarily about fun, learning and progression, while tournaments will bethe main avenue for competitive, real money play. The team wants to run more tournaments with larger prize pools, giving players multiple ways to earn depending on how they want to play.

Payments likely moving to USDC

Showdown will shift from USDM to USDC, which Stan says is significantly easier for non-crypto native users to onboard with. The team is also working on improving the deposit experience so it feels closer to platforms like Polymarket, with support for cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Target audience

Stan reiterated that the main target audience for Beta is poker players, followed by web2 TCG players, given how closely Showdown's decision making resembles poker. Bringing in players from outside the existing web3 audience remains a core goal.

Timeline

Private testing is confirmed for August, with a strong intention to launch Beta in first part of September. Stan noted there's no hard deadline forcing that exact date, and main risk to timing would be a need to migrate the smart contracts away from Solidity, which he considers unlikely.

Creator and streamer support

The team plans to lean further into supporting creators and streamers who already believe in the game, rather than paying high profile names with no connection to Showdown. A streaming starter guide is in the works for community members interested in building an audience around the game from scratch. Talk to Barry for more info.

PvP betting to come later

Stan confirmed that player versus player betting is a feature under consideration for the future, but it won't be part of the September Beta launch.

Chain decision imminent

The team is finalising which blockchain Showdown will launch on, with a decision expected within the next one to two weeks. Once confirmed, work will begin on chain-specific smart contracts and an adjusted deposit flow, which Stan says should improve the overall user experience.

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