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Vanguard Exiles, the strategic auto-battler created in collaboration with Magic: The Gathering designer Richard Garfield, will leave Early Access and launch its full 1.0 version on Steam on February 4, 2027.
Developed by independent Australian studio The Tea Division, Vanguard Exiles first appeared as a public demo in August 2024 before entering Steam Early Access in March 2025. By the time the full release arrives, the game will have spent almost two years being expanded and refined with feedback from its community.
Version 1.0 will introduce a new Campaign Mode alongside progression systems, achievements, competitive rankings, player milestones, unlockable content, and other features designed to provide a more complete experience for both casual and competitive players.
Vanguard Exiles combines elements of traditional tabletop strategy with the automated combat systems of an auto-battler. Players take control of Generals and their individual Squads, positioning units and selecting actions before watching their strategies play out across battlefields that can change throughout a match.
The game is set within a war-torn dieselpunk world where magic exists alongside industrial machinery. According to the developer, its digital format allows Vanguard Exiles to create evolving battlefields, unusual interactions, and strategic possibilities that would be difficult to reproduce within a physical board game.
The upcoming Campaign Mode will provide a more structured single-player experience, allowing players to explore the setting, uncover additional lore, and complete battles and challenges away from the game’s competitive multiplayer modes.
“The most exciting project I have been a part of”
“Vanguard Exiles is the deepest, most exciting project I’ve been a part of in my over 25 years in the games industry. It’s a sprawling labyrinth of tactical depth that offers endless possibilities,” said Mark Rowley, Director at The Tea Division. “I’ve been blown away by the creative strategies our players have come up with and have been eagerly awaiting this launch so I can watch everyone learn from each other and test out tactics I never would have thought of. That’s why we added Spectator Mode, so players can learn just by watching.”
Although the February launch will mark the end of the game’s Early Access period, The Tea Division says development will continue beyond Version 1.0.
The studio is already planning additional factions, units, actions, biomes, progression opportunities, and balance updates. The systems introduced with the full release have reportedly been built to support ongoing expansion, with future content continuing to be influenced by feedback from the player community.
Richard Garfield, best known as the creator of Magic: The Gathering and designer of games including KeyForge, said Vanguard Exiles allowed tabletop ideas to be combined with systems that could only exist within a video game.
“Vanguard Exiles combines tabletop design with digital design into a unique and eclectic gameplay experience. The variety offered by the game is exciting, and skillful play introduces all sorts of unexpected novelty,” said Richard Garfield, designer of Vanguard Exiles and Magic: The Gathering. “My favorite thing in game design is having an interesting space to explore – like with Magic: The Gathering and Keyforge. Like those games, Vanguard Exiles is deeply interesting, and I am delighted to share it with a broader audience!”
The Tea Division says announcing the release date this far in advance reflects its confidence that all remaining Version 1.0 features will be completed before launch.
Vanguard Exiles is currently available through Steam Early Access, with the complete Version 1.0 release arriving on February 4, 2027.
Key features
- Designed in collaboration with Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield
- Strategic auto-battler combining tabletop design with digital systems
- Unique Generals and Squads with different tactical possibilities
- Single-player campaigns and challenges
- Competitive online PvP multiplayer
- Progression systems, rankings, achievements, and unlockable content
- Spectator Mode for watching and learning from other players
- Post-launch plans for new factions, biomes, units, and balance updates
Last Updated On: Jul 17, 2026 2:34 pm CEST