Hearthstone is known for providing an alternative, oft-goofy lens through which fans of World of Warcraft could experience the characters and locations it has explored over the years. Hearthstone just announced its next card expansion pack, Fractured in Alterac Valley, set in the memorable Battleground from World of Warcraft’s initial launch.
Hearthstone’s seasonal system operates on a yearly release cycle, complete with its own set of fantasy horoscope animals. This cycle, called the Year of the Gryphon, is entering its third and final expansion phase with Fractured in Alterac Valley, meaning it is the last major release of cards being added before a new cycle begins.
Fractured in Alterac Valley itself will host 135 new cards to collect, as well as several new mechanics. The Mercenaries–characters unique to Hearthstone introduced in the Year of the Gryphon’s Forged in the Barrens set–have reached max level, and now appear as powerful Hero cards with potent Battlecries and upgraded Hero Powers. At least two new mechanics are being introduced, including Objectives that provide three-turn buffs to those who claim them and Honorable Kill, a card effect that activates if players kill an enemy minion on their turn with exact damage.
Hearthstone experienced a delayed release schedule due to the lawsuits filed against Blizzard in July, which led to the previous phase’s Deadmines mini set to be releced only recently. However, it seems Hearthstone is back on track, forging ahead to a strong end in the Year of the Gryphon. In addition to a new mini-set, seasonal event, and solo experiences, Hearthstone is planning updates to its Battleground, Duel, Mercenaries, and Tavern Brawl modes, as well as balance updates to its Traditional mode and cards.
Fans of player-versus-player content in World of Warcraft were hit with a wave of nostalgia upon the announcement of Fractured in Alterac Valley. Since Alterac Valley was one of the first two Battlegrounds in Vanilla WoW, almost everyone who played the MMO giant has at least a story or two about their experiences in the massive PvP area. If the iconic locations, characters, and references were not enough to entice players, the solo, story mode Book of Mercenaries has been received with near-universal adoration, and players are eager to see how the characters’ stories culminate in this what seems to be the finale of their story arcs in Fractured in Alterac Valley.
Unfortunately for Blizzard, Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker was delayed to release on December 7th–the same day as both Fractured in Alterac Valley and Legion Timewalking in World of Warcraft. Between the high-profile competition, and the continued difficulties Blizzard has faced due to sexual harassment claims and lawsuits, activity in the upcoming card expansion could be smaller than Hearthstone might hope.
Hearthstone is available now for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. Fractured in Alterac Valley releases December 7th.
Source: Hearthstone