Today the virtual edition of BlizzCon, dubbed BlizzConline, was held. There have been a number of announcements regarding games like Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and more. In the case of Hearthstone, Blizzard is starting the Year of the Gryphon which is set to bring large-scale changes to the game over the next couple of months.
These large-scale changes start with the base cards. The Year of the Gryphon is bringing coincides with the Hearthstone Core Set that replaces the base cards with a new, curated selection of 235 cards: including 160 class cards and 75 neutral cards. This core set will be free for players. Also, there is the new Classic Format which lets users craft their own decks using the original cards from 2014 Hearthstone. This game mode will include its own separate rewards and rankings.
One of the first things to come in the Year of the Gryphon is the new Forged in the Barrens expansion. Many World of Warcraft fans will recognize some of the characters and storylines on the new items available. It brings with it 135 new cards, new game mechanics, as well as a new keyword: frenzy. Cards with Frenzy will have a one-time effect that starts when a minion takes some damage. Right now, players can prepurchase the mega-bundle for $79.99 which contains 85 card packs from the expansion. There’s also the standard bundle for $49.99 which only contains 60 card packs.
One of the new things yet to come this year is something called Hearthstone Mercenaries which is a single-player and competitive game mode where players can create teams using characters from Azeroth and pit them against one another in tactical battles. As they complete each battle, players will gain experience and new abilities in order to create a more powerful version of their teams. More information will be released closer to release.
With all these changes, it is a perfect time for newcomers to get into Hearthstone which is available on Android, iOS, Mac, and PC for free.