The community-driven strategic auto-battler leaves Early Access with Campaign Mode, progression systems, competitive rankings, and a roadmap of future Factions, Biomes, and content updates
Brisbane, Australia – July 17, 2026 – Independent Australian developer The Tea Division is proud to announce that Vanguard Exiles, the strategic auto-battler designed in collaboration with Richard Garfield, creator of Magic: The Gathering, will officially launch into 1.0 on Steam on February 4, 2027.
Watch the official Vanguard Exiles gameplay trailer:
First introduced through a public demo in August 2024 before entering Early Access in March 2025, Vanguard Exiles has spent nearly two years evolving alongside its community. Version 1.0 represents the culmination of that journey, delivering what the team considers a complete, fully featured experience while laying the foundation for years of future growth.
Blending deep board game strategy with competitive auto-battling, Vanguard Exiles places players in the role of Generals commanding their unique Squads across a constantly shifting battlefield. Set in a war-torn dieselpunk world where magic and machinery collide, the game combines accessible mechanics with remarkable strategic depth, creating an experience that would be impossible to recreate in a traditional tabletop format. Digital systems enable endless strategic possibilities, evolving battlefields, and emergent interactions.
The 1.0 launch will introduce the long-awaited Campaign Mode, allowing players to explore Vanguard Exiles‘ world, uncover its lore, and experience a structured single-player alongside the game’s competitive multiplayer offerings. Version 1.0 also introduces progression systems, achievements, rankings, player milestones, unlockable content, and a complete player lifecycle designed to support both casual and competitive audiences. But for The Tea Division, it certainly doesn’t end there.
“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.”
While the February launch marks Vanguard Exiles’ transition out of Early Access, The Tea Division emphasizes that it is only the beginning of the game’s journey.
The systems being implemented for Version 1.0 have been designed to support future expansion, including new factions, units, actions, biomes, progression opportunities, and ongoing balance updates. The studio intends to continue developing Vanguard Exiles in collaboration with its community, maintaining the player-focused approach that has guided the project throughout Early Access.
Players can wishlist or purchase the Early Access version of Vanguard Exiles on Steam today and join the game’s Discord community for regular development updates, exclusive access to experimental builds, and direct access to the development team.
“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!”
By locking in a launch date now, The Tea Division says it is confident in the roadmap to deliver every remaining feature planned for Version 1.0, while ensuring the foundations are in place for future iteration and expansion beyond release.
Vanguard Exiles Version 1.0 launches on Steam on February 4, 2027, marking the beginning of the game’s next chapter.
Key Features
- Designed in collaboration with Richard Garfield, creator of Magic: The Gathering
- Strategic auto-battler blending board game depth with digital-only gameplay possibilities
- Command unique Squads as powerful Generals
- Explore a dieselpunk world where magic and machinery collide
- Play solo campaigns and challenges, or compete in multiplayer PvP mode
- New Campaign Mode arriving with Version 1.0
- Progression systems, achievements, rankings, unlockables, and player milestones
- Accessible for newcomers while offering deep strategic mastery
- Ongoing post-launch support planned, including new factions, biomes, units, and balance updates
About Vanguard Exiles
Vanguard Exiles is a strategic auto-battler that combines board game-inspired decision-making with the flexibility of a digital platform. Designed by Richard Garfield and developed by The Tea Division, players lead their distinctly unique Squads through dynamic battlefields where every match presents new tactical opportunities. Since its debut demo in August 2024 and Early Access launch in March 2025, Vanguard Exiles has been shaped through close collaboration with its community.
About The Tea Division
The Tea Division is an independent remote studio based in Brisbane, bringing together a passionate group of veterans, many of whom have worked together for decades and collectively have worked on over 100 games spanning 20 years of console, mobile, PC, indie, and AAA video game development. A dynamic and innovative development team, their track record for delivering efficient solutions in a timely manner remains flawless, never compromising quality or service.
With extensive experience in leading/development, the studio boasts no shortage of expertise in platform ports, project delivery, co-development, and project firefighting.
Vanguard Exiles is The Tea Division’s first proudly owned self-published title.
