At Blizzcon 2021, Blizzard announced that Hearthstone will blaze a new trail this year with the Year of the Gryphon. The Year of the Gryphon will begin with a new expansion, followed by a new Hearthstone Core Set, and a new game mode.
The new expansion headed to Hearthstone is titled, Forged in the Barrens, and is inspired by the famous World of Warcraft Horde location. The expansion set will introduce 135 new cards that are inspired by the characters and stories that define that locale.
Forged in the Barrens will also introduce 10 Legendary Mercenary minions that will each represent a different hearthstone class, and their stories will playout throughout the entirety of the Year of the Gryphon. Forged in the Barons will release a Mega Bundle for 79.99 which will come with the following:
- 85 Card packs (including 5 gold card packs)
- Two Random Golden Legendary Cards
- The Hamuul Runetotem card back and alternate Hero
- Perks for Hearthstone Battlegrounds that will last until the next expansion
There also announced a Forged in the Barrens Pre-Purchase Bundle for 49.99 which includes 60 packs from the expansion, the two random legendary cards, and the Hamuul Runetotem card back.
In addition to the expansion headed to Hearthstone, a new competitive and single-player game mode called Hearthstone Mercendaries is headed to the game. Players will collect powerful characters both new and old from the Warcraft universe and level them in tactical battles.
Lastly it was announced that the Hearthstone Core Set will also head your way alongside the Year of the Gryphon. This core set will be free for all players to unlock as they journey and collect cards throughout the year. The new Core Set will replace the existing Basic and Classic cards, with a collection of 235 total new and existing cards. The Core Set will have the following features:
- 160 Class Cards
- 75 Neutral Cards
- Reimagined Legendary Minion Versions of Warcrafts Dragons
Hearthstone will also release a Classic format so that players can experience the game as it was when it originally released. Some of this information was released earlier this month but more information will follow as the release approaches.
