Does anyone know how often a pack is going to be released? It seems they are doing 6 packs and 2 big boxes in a 3-1 ratio with a release monthly. LotR was similar but they keep it to about one cycle a year. I heard 2nd cycle for AGoT is Q2 2016. So is this game getting no breaks between cycles and constant monthly releases?

The release model for LCGs has pretty much always been "1 per month" within a cycle, in the past, and with deluxe boxes coming between cycles. In 2nd edition, they've specifically stated that deluxe boxes can/could come mid-cycle, which seems to be the case with Wolves (both Wolves and CP4 are slated for release this month). The real question is the gap *between* cycles - which has been remarkably inconsistent in the past.

I think we've always believed the 'intention' was for it to be uninterrupted; a new CP a month (2 cycles a year, rotation in the 4th year), and that it was always impeded by the reality of shipping & production delays. Predicting how long the delay between cycle 1 and 2 will be seems like a fruitless endeavour - but as you said, best information/guess is the "Q2 2016" (Gencon release?).

It might be worth keeping in mind that there's a bit more of an incentive to keep the pace of the AGOT release schedule high, because it's got a large carry-over from a player-base used to a cardpool of ~2000 cards. In order to restore some of the appeal for veteran AGOT players (not as much of an issue for Netrunner/Conquest), it does make sense to pick up the early pace on releases - that might explain the push for the first deluxe box mid-cycle.

I really hope the deluxe expansions are a 3-1 ratio and not just an end-cycle to mid-cycle change. I don't want to wait four years to see the last house DE.

The official word from FFG was 'when the deluxe expansions are ready, they will ship. We will not wait on the cycles.' That to me says if play testing can lock down a delux box every 3-4 months we could get every faction in two years but there will not be a set schedule for them

The official word from FFG was 'when the deluxe expansions are ready, they will ship. We will not wait on the cycles.' That to me says if play testing can lock down a delux box every 3-4 months we could get every faction in two years but there will not be a set schedule for them

Well, I can understand that, but there needs to be a release schedule from the developers point of view. A Deluxe every 3 chapter packs or every 6 or something so they know what to focus next (unless they just design cards randomly and someone else just decides how to distribute them for them, which seems quite unlikelly).

The official word from FFG was 'when the deluxe expansions are ready, they will ship. We will not wait on the cycles.' That to me says if play testing can lock down a delux box every 3-4 months we could get every faction in two years but there will not be a set schedule for them

Well, I can understand that, but there needs to be a release schedule from the developers point of view. A Deluxe every 3 chapter packs or every 6 or something so they know what to focus next (unless they just design cards randomly and someone else just decides how to distribute them for them, which seems quite unlikelly).

Sure, but we're not privy to any of that information... and we don't know how flexible testing deadlines are. Maybe it's "Cycles so that there's a CP every month, Deluxe boxes when your testing reveals they're ready" or something like that.

I know there are Netrunner cards that were designed, tested, and then set aside because they did not work in the meta at that time but were then added 1, even 2 cycles later when it did make sense.

From what I get they never throw anything out, they hold it back, tweak it, keep throwing it against the wall and see when it sticks. By now they have become very fluid at designing cards not only by themselves but in groups and sets. This means they when enough cards for one house have gelled they can pull the trigger on that deluxe, even if it means another house gets pushed back.