Summary
On Jul 29, 2025, Blizzard changed the definition of collectible card games by releasingHearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. It removed theHeroes of Warcraftsubtitle in 2016, but the game’s ideal would remain intact: a fast-paced digital card game featuring a light-hearted spin on classic characters, locations, and themes. ThoughHearthstonebegan as a spiritual successor to the physicalWorld of Warcraft Collectible Card Game, discontinued the year before, it became something much more.
In the 10 years sinceHearthstone’s release, digital card games have exploded in popularity. Dozens of games have sought to capture lightning in a bottle in the same wayHearthstonedid – andsome of the best digital card gameshave succeeded in doing so. But, whileHearthstonewas far not the first digital collectible card game, it started a trend that is still going strong today.
How Hearthstone Influenced Other Digital Card Collecting Games
The first true digital card games came out in the late 1990s – almost 20 years beforeHearthstone. Games based onMagic: The Gathering, thePokemon Trading Card Game, andYu-Gi-Oh!were some of the first. Other games featured card-based mini-games likeTriple Triad fromFinal Fantasy 8and Triple Triad fromFinal Fantasy 9, or hybrid RPG mechanics likeKingdom Hearts: Chain of MemoriesandCard Hunter.
Hearthstonewasn’t even the first big digital card game in the West, withGranblue Fantasyproducer Cygames’Rage of Bahamutbecoming a top-selling mobile game in 2012. Even so,Hearthstonebrought a new paradigm that changed digital card games forever. Animated cards and backgrounds were nothing new, butHearthstonecapitalized on its nature as a digital card game by using mechanics that would be impossible in real life, such as pulling random cards from the game’s entire collection.Hearthstoneset a new standard for DCCGsthat is still iterated upon by its successors.
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Among all the card games released inHearthstone’s wake,Marvel Snapis perhaps the most poignant successor. Ben Brode, the original game director forHearthstone,producedMarvel Snapas the CEO of Second Dinner. In its first year of service, the superhero DCCG made over $100 million and had 22 million downloads. However, even these impressive numbers were dwarfed in comparison toHearthstone’s inaugural year, which boasted over $170 million in revenue and a rapidly growing 30 million players.
Hearthstone Didn’t Win Every Game
DespiteHearthstone’s initial success, interest in the card game has diminished over the years. The game has generated less revenue each year, only making around $20 million in 2023 – about one-fifth of whatMarvel Snapdid over the same period. While still quite popular, the game has encountered some bumps in the road that have led to a decreased player count, causing someHearthstonefans to fear that it will have to face the reapersoon. The problemsHearthstonefaces include:
With 10 years of cards to collect, game modes that rely on expansive collections like Wild or Twist are prohibitively expensive. This has led Twist to be one of the least popular game modes, despite how new it is. Likewise, Mercenaries was put into maintenance mode, andDuels is being removed fromHearthstonecompletely. Were that not enough,Hearthstonehasn’t created any new PvE solo content sinceVoyage to the Sunken Cityin mid-2022. This, plus the inconsistent quality in expansion cinematics, has led many to wonder ifHearthstonehas had to cut costs to keep itself afloat.
The dissolution of Blizzard’s agreement with NetEase also cut off ChineseHearthstoneplayers from accessing the game. While rumors suggestBlizzard may be able to return access to its gamesin Chinavia a leasing deal in South Korea, the initial closure dealt a staggering blow toHearthstone, given how popular the game was there.
Hearthstone’s woes are perhaps no more evident than with its esports program. In 2023, theHearthstoneesports program was drastically diminished, with the total prize pool for all events reduced to approximately one-fifth from previous years. The 2024 esports program thankfully received no further cuts, but the state of competitiveHearthstonehas some fans understandably worried about the long-term health of the game.
Hearthstone’s Expansions Are Still Going Strong
Despite this,Hearthstoneis still going strong. Though it has only a fraction of the popularity it once had, its player count has been relatively steady over the last several years, and the game has no shortage of content planned for the future.Hearthstonerecently revealed the Year of the Unicorn– a fitting name for its 10th birthday, given it was called Project Unicorn in early development – featuring Whizbang’s Workshop and two more unnamed expansions, not to mention a new co-op version of its popular Battlegrounds mode coming in the near future.
Hearthstone’s enduring lifespan is in no small part thanks to its unique mechanics and charming lore. EveryHearthstoneexpansion builds upon its own legacy in a one-of-a-kind way that is unafraid to lean into its nature as a digital card game. Likewise, the endearing themes, lore, and artwork used for cards, Heroes, andexpansions tap into the best parts ofWarcraft; so much so that manyWoWplayers have petitioned Blizzard to add world-building fromHearthstoneinto the MMO. The unique charm ofHearthstonebrings something truly irreplaceable to theWarcraftfranchise.
It is clear the golden days ofHearthstoneare long gone, but the digital collectible card game is far from finished yet.Hearthstonehas some amazing plans as a part of its 10-year anniversary, including another year full of new cards, content, and collaborations, includingone withWorld of Warcraft. After a successful decade,Hearthstonemost likely hopes to follow inWoW’s footsteps and continue for at least another 10 years. Regardless, the enduring legacy ofHearthstone’s impact on the DCCG scene will last even longer than the game itself.
Hearthstone
WHERE TO PLAY
Deceptively simple, insanely fun. Sheathe your sword, draw your deck, and get ready for Hearthstone—the fast-paced strategy card game that’s easy to learn and massively fun. You’ll play your cards to sling spells, summon creatures, and command the heroes of Warcraft in duels of epic strategy. Did we mention it’s free to play? Get Packed for Paradise with Hearthstone’s newest expansion, Perils in Paradise.Play on your own schedule—most games take less than 10 minutes whether you’re battling your friends or the AI. Hearthstone’s easy to learn and extremely accessible gameplay is available for Windows, Mac, and iPad.Your deck is centered around a legendary hero and composed of minions, spells, items, and abilities from the epic Warcraft universe. While you play, the sights, sounds, and other details packed into Hearthstone bring the Warcraft universe to life in a way you’ve never experienced before.
