Blizzard Entertainment announced today that The Witchwood, it’s next expansion for Hearthstone, will launch April 12 for PC, Android, and iOS. This will be the eighth expansion for the market-leading card game.
It is also the first of the Year of the Raven, a new Standard cycle that will rotate cards from older sets — Whispers of the Old Gods, One Night in Karazhan, and Mean Streets of Gadgetzan — to Wild, a mode that contains all the game’s cards. This is the third Standard year and the second time we’re seeing a rotation. Both the rotation and the introduction of new cards open up possibilities for new decks and strategies, which encourages lapsed players to return (and spend money on new packs).
The Witchwood introduces 135 new cards and new mechanics, like Echo. That allows you to keep playing the same card as many times in one turn as you can afford. Rush is another new Keyword that lets your card attack enemy minions — but not Heroes — on the turn they’re played. Other cards, including the ones we introduced, strengthen your Hero Power. Others will give your deck benefits if it includes only even or odd Mana cost cards.
Above: Blizzard Entertainment is releasing two new cards for Hearthstone: Blackwald Pixie and Clockwork Automaton.
The Witchwood also adds Monster Hunts, a new single-player mode similar to the Dungeon Runs Blizzard introduced in the last expansion, Kobolds & Catacombs.
If you log into Hearthstone for a limited time after the expansion launches, you receive three Witchwood card packs for free. You’ll also get a free, random Class Legendary card.
