IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This August, Hearthstone® players will bear witness to the might and glory of the Alliance in United in Stormwind™, the next expansion for Blizzard’s smash hit digital card game played by more than 130 million people around the world. Within Stormwind’s proud ramparts, players will find the Alliance’s beating heart—as well as 135 all-new cards inspired by the rites of passage shared by heroes about to come into their own in this gleaming city.
United in Stormwind introduces Questline cards for every class, each one providing a peek into the formative stories of the new mercenary characters introduced in the Year of the Gryphon. Players start a match with their Questline cards in their hand, and they’re rewarded with powerful in-game effects whenever they complete one of the challenges they present. Once the third phase in each Questline is complete, the Mercenary joins their side—as a powerful Legendary minion.
To take part in the bustle and commerce of Stormwind, players can add cards with the Tradeable keyword to their decks. Tradeable cards provide situationally powerful effects, with the added flexibility of being able to swap them out for a different card in the player’s deck for the cost of one mana. World of Warcraft® tradeskills come to Hearthstone in the form of Profession Tools, being placed in the weapon slot and unlocking unique abilities—like the Paladin’s Prismatic Jewel Kit, which boosts the power of minions in the player’s hand whenever a friendly minion loses a Divine Shield. Finally, players can saddle up by acquiring Mount cards, which come into play in the form of a minion buff, and then summon the trusty steed itself once the empowered minion is defeated.
“United in Stormwind captures the magic behind many of the memorable moments players experience while leveling up a World of Warcraft® character,” said J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment. “This iconic setting is the perfect place to continue the stories we’ve been telling during the Year of the Gryphon, and we think players are going to have a blast with all the new mechanics it’s inspired.”
The United in Stormwind Mega Bundle is available for pre-purchase starting today for $79.99 USD and includes:
- 80 United in Stormwind card packs—plus 5 Golden card packs (containing all Golden cards)
- two random Golden Legendary cards from United in Stormwind
- the Lady Katrana Prestor Alternate Hero
- the Lady Katrana Prestor card back
- perks for Hearthstone Battlegrounds that last until the next expansion
- the Ve’nari Alternate Bartender for Hearthstone Battlegrounds†
Also available is the United in Stormwind Bundle for $49.99 USD, which includes 60 packs from the expansion, two random Legendary cards, and the Lady Katrana Prestor card back.
Fans of the popular Hearthstone Battlegrounds game mode can look forward to major updates too, including the largest minion pool shakeup since launch! Battlegrounds will also introduce all-new cosmetic options to the store, allowing players to customize their game experience, with more to come. Battlegrounds Bundle: Beach Party includes seven new portraits of heroes enjoying some fun in the sun, such as Grill King Bolvar and Chillin’ Vol’jin. The bundle also includes Tikilord Ragnaros, a fully-voiced alternate Bartender who serves up drinks with a scorching attitude. In the Battlegrounds Heroes: Shadowlands bundle, eight heroes are reimagined as members of the Covenants featured in the afterlife-themed World of Warcraft: Shadowlands™ expansion, including Finley of the Kyrian and Ysera of the Night Fae.
For more information about Hearthstone and United in Stormwind, visit https://playhearthstone.com/ and follow @PlayHearthstone on Twitter.
For screenshots and other assets, visit http://blizzard.gamespress.com.
About Hearthstone
With more than 130 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 10 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-three #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.
†Ve’nari Alternate Bartender will be usable in-game no later than August 31, 2021.
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 Hearthstone®, including the United in Stormwind™ expansion and the Hearthstone Battlegrounds game mode, 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.
