Publisher Blizzard is adding a new game mode to its card battler as part of an incoming update.
Hearthstone’s patch to version 2.7 will introduce the Tavern Brawl, and according to a Blizzard spokesperson, “We are aiming for mid-June, but I don’t have a more specific date than that right now.” This is a new head-to-head mode that challenges players to outwit opponents in special matches. Blizzard explains that Tavern Brawl will either give you odd, premade decks to play with or require you to build you own decks that match “surprising guidelines.” This introduces a bit of spice that may keep high-level players entertained if they start growing tired of the traditional battle and Arena modes.
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This new mode isn’t just good for distracting players from their terrible play in the Arena. It’s also an easy way to get free decks or other items. Tavern Brawl is free to enter, and you get a free booster pack of cards for the first win you get during each week’s challenges during the “launch period.” After that, Blizzard says it may offer other rewards for players who do well.
Blizzard continues to dole out new content like this as a way to keep players engaged, which is crucial for a free-to-play game. People naturally start to gravitate away from games and giving them something new to do is a great way to keep them coming back every day. The publisher has already done this successfully, and the evidence of that is the games placement at No. 22 on the United States top-grossing iPhone games. Since launching on phones earlier this year, Hearthstone has grown into one of the top-performing games on mobile, and it’s content updates like these that could help it stay that way.
In addition to the Tavern Brawls, Blizzard is also introducing new heroes skins that players can buy for $10 in version 2.7. These come with fresh portraits, animations, card backs, emotes, and more — but they are not new classes, nor do they add new abilities. They also let your opponent know that you’re willing to spend $10 on that kind of stuff, which has to give you a mental advantage.
Finally, the next patch will introduce the option to assign card backs to specific decks. You no longer need to select a global card back that you’ll have whether you’re playing your Face Hunter deck or your Dragon Paladin deck.