Hard Edge: War Zone launches July 23

Four-versus-four real-time tactical card battler remake Hard Edge: War Zone will launch for PC via Steam on July 23 for 1,800 yen, developer SUNSOFT announced. It will support English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese language options.

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page and official website:

About

HARD EDGE is back as a four-versus-four real-time tactical card battler! Combine strategic deck-building with simultaneous team actions. Every turn, draw cards to shoot, throw, or defend. Sacrifice cards to move in a high-stakes tactical “WAR ZONE.”

Read the Field, Shoot Your Cards!

Inheriting the gritty sci-fi world of the 1998 classic HARD EDGE, this title boldly reimagines the gameplay as a real-time tactical card battler. Engage in intense four-versus-four team-based combat with up to eight players!

Game Overview

Set in the hard-boiled cyberpunk world of the original HARD EDGE, this is an all-new tactical experience that blends the tension of a shootout with the strategic depth of a card game. Form a four-man squad and utilize your hand to annihilate the enemy team. Your tactics and teamwork will be put to the test in a war zone where turn-based deliberation meets real-time action.

Game System: Real-Time Tactical Card Battle

Combat progresses in turns. At the start of each turn, draw cards and choose your next move. The defining feature is that “all players on the same team act simultaneously.” Sync your timing with allies to suppress enemies with a barrage of fire, or have one player act as a decoy while the rest launch a surprise flank. Coordinated execution is the key to victory.

The Core of Strategy: Deck Building and Mid-Match Growth

Deck building—the heart of any card game—is vital here. Before the match, construct a unique deck tailored to your character’s personality and your personal playstyle. Furthermore, as characters level up during the match, you can add new cards to your deck or enhance existing ones. Victory requires both careful preparation and the ability to adapt your deck to the ever-changing battlefield.

Dominate the War Zone With Diverse Cards

Your deck contains various weapons, equipment, and support items. Choose the best card for the situation:

• Ranged (Assault Rifles / Handguns / Sniper Rifles) – Powerful ranged attacks. You can snipe enemies in a straight line, but cover like walls will block your shot. Positioning for a clear line of sight is crucial.
• Throwing (Grenades, etc.) – Deals area-of-effect damage. Perfect for flushing out enemies behind walls or wiping out clustered foes.
• Combat (Knives, etc.) – High-risk, high-reward melee attacks that deal devastating damage if you can get close enough.
• Defense (Armor, etc.) – Reduces incoming damage. An essential card for those serving as the team’s shield on the front lines.
• Support and Tactics -Infinite tactical possibilities with “Medical Kits” to heal allies, “Extended Mags” to boost ammo, and “Deployable Cover” to create safety anywhere.
• Movement – Positioning is key. Movement does not require a specific card; instead, you can discard ANY card from your hand to move. However, that card is lost. Will you discard your best attack card to escape danger, or stand your ground to save it for later? This “Ultimate Dilemma” defines the strategy of every step.

Two Tactical Game Modes

Adapt your strategy to the objective and lead your team to glory:

• Capture the Flag – Compete for “Disks” containing vital data. The team with the most Disks when time runs out wins. Efficiency, route planning, and role distribution are more important than simple elimination.
• Team Deathmatch – A pure, high-octane battle for dominance. The team with the most kills wins. Your combat skills, coordination, and card timing will decide your fate.

Story: The Prequel—“The Sakuraville Occupation”

Six months before the events of the original game… The “Sakuraville” research facility, owned by Machinery Gear, is suddenly seized by an unidentified armed group. Among the hostages is the high-profile scientist, Dr. Kevin. To resolve the crisis and rescue the doctor, authorities covertly deploy an elite special forces unit into the building. Among the members are Alex and Michelle—two individuals destined to be swept up in a harsh fate. Inside the sealed facility, heavy armaments and deadly traps await. Amidst clashing agendas, the desperate rescue operation begins now!

Build your deck, coordinate with allies, and survive the WAR ZONE!

Characters

• Alex Barrat – AD 2046—an elite special operations agent deployed to the MG Corp. building siege. A consummate professional who prioritizes speed and efficiency above all, operating without emotion. All records are classified—her only calling card is an unidentified, trusted firearm.
• Michelle Stevenson – An operative in the same unit as Alex. Excels in close-quarters combat with a high-frequency blade, backed by unmatched hand-to-hand skill within the ranks. Her strikes—fluid, yet relentless—shatter enemy defenses, leaving blue wings to cut across the battlefield.
• Rachel Howard – A girl who holds the key to research buried in the shadows of a powerful corporation—her presence almost otherworldly. Though swept up in brutal conflict, she rises with unwavering resolve, a single light of hope in the WAR ZONE. Her innocent gaze stirs the humanity long forgotten by the operatives on the battlefield.
• Burns Byford – A hardened man who infiltrated the MG building alone in search of a missing woman. Driven by a detective’s instincts and raw strength, he fights on with stubborn resolve to bring back what he’s lost. Behind his easygoing demeanor lies top-tier skill—he’ll break the chain of corruption with his own fists.
• Kevin Howard – A former researcher in the bio-weapon development division, now imprisoned within MG Corp’s classified sector. Haunted by the realization that the intelligence he created has become a spark capable of destabilizing the world. Consumed by guilt and despair, he endures in isolation—driven to put an end to the tragedy he set in motion.
• Cassandra Dupont – One of the masterminds behind the siege. She lived undercover as an office worker at MG Corp—her true nature, a cold beauty driven by a lust for control. Wielding brainwashing techniques and shapeshifting at will, she manipulates humans as mere “parts” to serve her desires.
• Gasshu Heiworse – The mercenary leader behind the building’s takeover. His body fully converted into a cyborg, he crushes intruders with overwhelming firepower and defense. Unleashing a storm of destruction—ked by his built-in weapon, the “Gash Beam”—this berserker reduces all opposition to ash.
• Brennum Arkley – One of the mercenaries occupying the building. Equipped with extendable bio-blades in both arms, capable of slicing through metal like paper. Employing tactics such as restraint and transformation, this ruthless hound never lets a captured target escape.

Watch a new trailer below.

Multiplayer Trailer

English

Japanese