A Cinematic Pre-Battle Showdown
Every battle now opens on a full-screen showdown. The old small "match ready" card is gone, replaced by a cinematic split: each side's world clipped along a glowing gold seam, a metallic VS emblem burning where they meet, and a nameplate per side carrying the player's avatar, their commander, and their league and rating. The league, the mana cap, and the affinities in play sit across the top, the active rules across the bottom, and the whole thing tucks the page chrome away so nothing breaks the immersion. Hit Begin and the two halves slide apart into the combat board.
It plays the same way on desktop, on mobile, and on the landing-page battle showcases, with a polished gem-style nameplate and a real cinematic entrance and exit. Players who prefer calmer motion still get a clean, instant version.
Replays also gained a half-speed option. A new ½ button sits beside the existing speed controls, so you can drop any battle into slow motion and read the combat blow by blow.