In an official announcement by CATAN Studios, they are producing a brand new version of their beloved game in the form of Catan - 3D Edition.
The explanation is right in the title. It is the same Catan players know and love, but with elaborately sculpted 3D game pieces. Everything from rice fields to cities to mountains is represented in detailed plastic. According to the press release, "This long-awaited 3D Edition of the contemporary classic board game is based on terrain tiles that were hand-sculpted by the game designer Klaus Teuber himself. All of the terrains are hand-painted for stunning color, and intricately designed player pieces are antiqued for a look that is full of history and character."
This is not the first time that the beloved series has gotten this treatment. In 2005 there was a limited 3D printing of the game, back when it was called Settlers of Catan, was released. But other than this one printing, Sixteen years is a long time for fans to wait, but as the saying goes, better late than never.
Catan - 3D Edition will contain the following:
* Hand-painted 3D terrain hex tiles, sea frames, and harbor markers
* Antiqued 3D player pieces in four colors
* Antiqued robber figure
* Card sorting trays
* Custom CATAN dice
If this all sounds exciting and convenient, there are a few caveats to keep in mind. First, this appears to be just the base game; no expansions or supplementary material appear to be here. Second, according to the studio, the MSRP for Catan - 3D Edition will be $300. For comparison, you could order a regular printing of the game and get most of the expansions for around the same price. On the other hand, the detail and craftsmanship that has gone into not just the pieces but the storage box is astounding, giving the game a texture that is lost when dealing with basic cardboard tiles and tokens.
Catan - 3D Edition is available for pre-order now at the studio's online store and is scheduled to ship in August.
