Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 are not the only surprises Blizzard announced during this year's BlizzCon event, as they have also spoken about the newest mode in popular and well-loved card battle game Hearthstone known as the Hearthstone Battlegrounds.
The New Mode
Blizzard has been consistent with rolling out updates and even expansions for Hearthstone; however, it's not working as well with gaining new fans, and most of the players are the loyal enthusiasts of the game.
It might be the reason why the developers came up with Hearthstone Battlegrounds, an auto-battler type of mode for the game that still brings the familiar collectible card game mechanics that the game is well known for.
Hearthstone Battlegrounds first came to life from designer Conor Kau, the Tavern Brawl head, and was inspired by the auto-battler genre that grew popular this year, especially with the arrival of the DOTA 2 Auto-Chess mode.
How to Play Hearthstone
GameSpot was able to test the game during BlizzCon, and while they said Blizzard's debut presentation "felt daunting," the game itself was quite beginner friendly and would be a great way to nab new fans.
Battlegrounds is a battle between eight players and has a similar agenda to the main Hearthstone gameplay—defend your hero while trying to deal damage to your opponent's heroes until only one remains and is declared the winner.
There are two phases to each game: the Tavern where you can recruit minions, upgrade your selection of minions, play them, and use your hero power; and then the combat phase where you battle with an opponent and try to clean his minions.
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If you have remaining minions, they can help you deal more damage to the opponent.
After the first combat, you'll be back on the Tavern, where you can continue buying and upgrading your minions, but your hero's health will carry over from the battle to the Tavern phase.
Hearthstone Heroes
Hearthstone Battlegrounds will be launching with 24 heroes—although you can only pick from three, and your initial choice could significantly affect your early games.
VG247 has come up with a list of the best Hearthstone Battlegrounds heroes and tier list, and it seems like A. F. Kay is the most popular choice during the meta with her unique hero power, followed by Bartendotron and Dancin' Deryl.
According to a report by the Daily Express, Hearthstone Battlegrounds beta is available now, Nov. 12, and will be accessible through the new "Modes" button that should appear on the main screen along with "Arena."
