Ranking in Hearthstone will become more enjoyable, but Arena veterans can also breathe a sigh of relief – more fun and variety are expected.
Since the release of Hearthstone, there has been criticism of the ranked game mode and the Arena as well. Over the past year, the developers have repeatedly mentioned plans to overhaul both game modes to provide a better gaming experience for both newcomers and veterans. Now Team 5 is slowly getting specific. In the latest developer video, Ben Brode and Dean Ayala discussed future changes.
Arena: Fewer cards, rotation like in Ranked
The Arena has changed in recent months. Although more and more cards have been released, all of which are almost accessible in the Arena, the decks are becoming increasingly similar. The solution here is simple and effective: The same restrictions apply in the Arena as in the ranked “Standard” mode. This would mean that only the most recent expansions are in the card pool, which massively restricts the available cards and thus constantly provides fresh games.
At the same time, the number of cards that are “common” and the number of neutral classic and basic cards will be reduced. This further decreases the chance of having “boring” or useless cards, such as the Magmawüter.
Ranked: More stars, more save points
Drastic changes are also coming to Ranked, the ranked game mode. Above all, climbing the ranks should be more enjoyable and not turn into a frustrating grind every month.
Those who are rated Rank 10 or better at the end of a season should not start the next season again at Rank 17 or 18 – therefore, there will be more stars to earn. At the same time, the developers want to incorporate several “checkpoints” where players can neither lose ranking points, even if they incur losses. For example, if someone reaches “Rank 15”, they cannot drop below this level – in theory.
No specific dates for the changes have been announced yet, but they will likely arrive with the first expansion in 2017 – in spring.
With Magic, Hearthstone could finally have a real competitor.
