‘Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft’ Update: Formats, New Play Modes & More Deck Slots Announced

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft will be undergoing some significant changes in the upcoming weeks according to a blog post by Hearthstone developers. With the Hearthstone Spring 2016 update, Hearthstone gameplay will soon be divided into two play modes: Standard format, and Wild format.

For those not familiar with the world of collectible card games (CCG), different formats mean different rules and restrictions on which cards can be included in a deck during gameplay. In the case of Hearthstone, the new Standard format play mode will only allow cards released in the current and previous year (plus some Basic and Classic cards) to be used in decks.

The Standard format play mode will be available only in the Friendly Challenges, Ranked and Casual game modes, meaning Hearthstone players playing primarily in the Arena, Solo play or Adventures game modes will not be affected by the new restrictions. Arena reward cards will be Standard format only.

The second new play mode, Wild format, is essentially the way Hearthstone is played currently. In the Wild format play mode, Hearthstone players can use any card they want to in constructing a deck. Hearthstone players who feel more at home within the Wild format play mode can rest easy, because both the Ranked and Casual game modes can be played with Wild format decks.

Players will be able to “finish quests, earn gold, rank up on the ladder, get card backs, earn Legend rank, and use all the cards you’ve already collected” in the Wild format play mode, according to the aforementioned blog post .

The last big change announced for the Hearthstone Spring 2016 update is that players will be able to unlock nine more deck slots once they’ve successfully unlocked all nine classes. Also, non-standard expansion (or old) card sets, which currently signifies the Goblins vs. Gnomes and Curse of Naxxramas expansions, will no longer be available for purchase.

If any of this sounds confusing, make sure to read the Hearthstone Spring 2016 update FAQ. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Show the FAQ.”

Blizzard Entertainment, the developers behind Hearthstone, promised a new expansion for the popular mobile CCG as well in 2016. The only thing it had to say about it was, “It’s really, really cool. We think you’ll like it. You’ll find out what it is soon™.”