The tail end of last week saw the announcement that the board game Istanbul is going digital. No eta or pricing info in this initial press release apart from it will be available on all the usual suspects when it comes to platforms. The developer Acrum is responsible for the digital version of 8 Minute Empire (which to my shame I own but not fired up). But if my fading memory doesn’t fail me got good reviews at the time of its release. I’m hoping that it’s not just the base game we get but the expansions too. Or that they release an update with the expansions (at an extra cost naturally) not long after. Istanbul is a great game, which came in at number 7 in my Top 100 games last year. And I love the game with the expansions. In fact unless I’m introducing the game to a new player, I only want to play it with the expansions. They just take the base game to a new level.

Naturally it has the normal functionality you’d expect from a digital version of a board game. Although in the past one or two developers have released versions with some core features (as I would consider them) missing, and not always promised for a future update. So at the moment I’m giving the developer the benefit of doubt and assuming this following list is going to be there from day one.

• play with AI, with friends or both

• pass and play mode

• online multiplayer with asynchronous mode option

• modular board

• official rules plus extra additions

You can read the full unedited press release HERE, or sign up for email alerts HERE with the developer.

With Scythe hitting Steam soon (well this year) with hopefully the iOS version not far behind its a great time to be playing digital versions of board games.