IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--December 10, 2019, The Year of the Dragon—Galakrond, the mightiest dragon of all time, threatens to raze the surface of Azeroth in Descent of Dragons™, the new 135-card expansion released today for Blizzard Entertainment’s smash-hit free-to-play digital card game Hearthstone®. This action-packed card set sends players to the skies above Dragonblight for a thrilling aerial battle between the League of Explorers—Hearthstone’s plucky band of treasure-hunting heroes—and Archivillain Rafaam’s nefarious League of E.V.I.L.
In Descent of Dragons, players will draw on the power of dragons—lots and lots of dragons. They’ll summon all-new Legendary Dragons, lay waste to the battlefield with their breath weapons, and power-up by embarking on heroic Sidequests. In addition, the five “E.V.I.L.” classes—Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, and Warrior—can transform into Galakrond himself through one of five new Hero cards, each with a class-appropriate Battlecry and Hero Power.
Minions and spells with the new Invoke keyword will trigger the effect of Galakrond’s Hero Power. Invoking multiple times upgrades Galakrond into his deadlier forms, the mightiest of which is “Galakrond, Azeroth’s End”—a world-shattering monstrosity armed with a quadruple-strength Battlecry and a powerful claw attack.
Will Rafaam succeed in his plot for world domination? Will Reno Jackson stay out of trouble long enough for the League of Explorers to emerge triumphant? These answers and more will come in the corresponding Descent of Dragons Solo Adventure, a story-driven epic finale to Hearthstone’s first-ever year-long story line to be released in January.
Starting today, Hearthstone players who log in will receive three Descent of Dragons card packs and all five Galakrond Hero cards free, along with two neutral Shield of Galakrond minions featuring the new Invoke keyword.* Players can also rack up an epic assortment of rewards upon completing a series of six new Legendary daily quests—five additional Descent of Dragons card packs, two Rise of Shadows™ card packs, two Saviors of Uldum™ card packs, and 200 gold in total.
“Descent of Dragons is full-blown fire-breathing fun, and filled with the vibrant personality and strategic decision-making Hearthstone is known for,” said J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment. “We think players will have a blast building decks around the five powerful new Galakrond Hero cards—or finding clever ways to keep him from taking over the game.”
Hearthstone: Battlegrounds—A Free Fast-Paced Fun New Way to Play
Descent of Dragons launches during the ongoing beta test for the popular new game mode Hearthstone: Battlegrounds, a raucous eight-player auto-battler featuring 24 unique Heroes, in which players will recruit minions, strategically position them, and watch them battle each other for supremacy.† Following last month’s debut at BlizzCon®, millions of players flocked to the tavern to take part in the Battlegrounds early access period and open beta test. That momentum has continued, with Battlegrounds fueling ongoing excitement for Hearthstone among veterans and new players alike.
Hearthstone: Battlegrounds is a free standalone experience that doesn’t require a card collection. Players will be able to unlock optional bonus features for this mode when they acquire card packs—including free packs, those acquired with in-game gold, and those purchased with real money—from the most recent Hearthstone expansion (starting with today’s launch of Descent of Dragons).** At 10 packs, players unlock comprehensive stat-tracking in Hearthstone: Battlegrounds; at 20 they can choose their hero from among three different options instead of two at the start of each match; and at 30, players unlock the ability to playfully communicate with their opponents using a visual emote system.
Descent of Dragons and Hearthstone: Battlegrounds are available today on Windows® and Mac® PCs; Windows, iOS, and Android™ tablets; and mobile phones. Descent of Dragons card packs are winnable in Hearthstone’s Arena mode, and players can purchase them with in-game gold or real money at the same prices as Hearthstone’s other card packs.
To learn more about Descent of Dragons, fly on over to www.descentofdragons.com. For more on Hearthstone: Battlegrounds, visit https://playhearthstone.com/battlegrounds/.
*Limit one set of Descent of Dragons login rewards per account. Must log in by March 31, 2020 to redeem offer.
†2GB of memory is recommended to play Battlegrounds on iOS and Android devices.
**Bonus features are unlocked for a limited time and reset at the launch of each new Hearthstone expansion.
About Hearthstone
With more than 100 million players worldwide, Hearthstone is Blizzard Entertainment’s internationally acclaimed, free-to-play digital card game designed for novice and veteran card-slingers alike. Players can choose from nine powerful hero classes and customize their decks with minions, spells, and weapons based on the unique fantasy of the Warcraft® universe. Featuring a variety of game modes ranging from epic head-to-head duels to story-driven Solo Adventures, Hearthstone offers a vibrant and rewarding experience stacked with strategy, personality, and fun. Hearthstone is available globally for Windows and Mac PCs; Windows, iOS, and Android tablets; and iOS, and Android mobile phones.
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft®, Hearthstone, Overwatch®, the Warcraft, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, and the multifranchise Heroes of the Storm®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes twenty-two #1 games†† and numerous Game of the Year awards. The company's online gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.
††Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distributors.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements:
Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the availability, features, and functionality of Descent of Dragons Solo Adventure, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
