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@PlayHearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

ModSquad

unnamedI doubt there’s many gamers who haven’t heard of Hearthstone. With the announcement in early April that Hearthstone hit 10 million players, I felt this would be the perfect time to introduce any non-gamers (or those who haven’t had a chance to check it out) to this growing card game by Blizzard!

Hearthstone is a CCG (Collectible Card Game) based on the existing characters and lore from the World of Warcraft series.  Hearthstone differs from games like Might & Magic Duel of Champions and Magic: The Gathering, which are very successful TCGs (Trading Card Games). Instead of being able to obtain cards through trading and purchasing from other players (typical TCG play), you may only gain them through completing quests in the game, or purchasing packs (with in-game currency or real world money). This slight difference is where Hearthstone excels, as it makes entry into the card game world easier for new users.  Here’s some additional support for that theory:

  • unnamed-1A free-to-play model allows users to obtain all cards without investing a cent into the game.
  • The ability to compete at high levels without the need for extremely rare cards.  The game puts an emphasis on game theory and strategy, over instant strength.
  • The absence of trading evens out the playing field.  All players, regardless of financial means, have a chance to be successful!

unnamed-2The ease of entry, and casual approach to game has helped to make this game so popular.  With the maturation and growth, it has spawned a competitive following with even professional and ex-professional Warcraft and Starcraft players.  OnGameNet helped to launch Hearthstone as an official e-sport by hosting the first tournament in the spring of 2014.  OnGameNet is famous for hosting the largest League of Legends professional league in Korea, and boasts (quite possibly) the most competitive e-sports scene in the world.

Aside from know e-sport professionals, here are great examples of top Hearthstone players to follow on Twitch.tv and Youtube (very helpful for strategy and tips):

  • Day[9]: Host of the Day9 Dailies brings you a wonderful series, ‘Hearthstone Decktacular‘ where he tries experimental decks.  Day[9] is especially helpful for new players looking to get into higher level play.
  • Crendor: Known for his origins in World of Warcraft, Crendor brings his own comedic skill to Hearthstone with his newest series on Youtube.

When I’m looking to play cards with friends, or go up against people from around the world, Hearthstone is my go-to game!  If you’re looking to join me sometime you can find me on Battle.net as TheLewdz#1402.  You can also find me streaming Hearthstone on Twitch.tv.

Brandon Stroede
Assistant Project Manager