The Battlegrounds mode in Hearthstone is becoming Pay2Win and there is a new currency – fans are once again up in arms.
Basically, it was something that many Hearthstone fans had feared for a long time, but now it is finally coming true. Blizzard is overhauling the game’s monetization and is also targeting the popular game mode ‘Battlegrounds’. And it gets even tougher – there is simultaneously a new premium currency meant to replace real money purchases.
What is the Battlegrounds mode? The Battlegrounds mode is Hearthstone’s ‘auto-battler’ and has become the most popular mode among many fans in recent years. Here, you choose from a number of heroes at the beginning, buy minions, and let them battle semi-automatically against the minions of 7 other players.
What changes is Blizzard making? The Battlegrounds mode is being expanded and will have its own reward track with standalone rewards. Here, there are both free rewards on the ‘normal’ path and many affordable rewards on the premium path.
There will be dedicated quests for the Battlegrounds mode and numerous new rewards, such as emotes, hero skins, and finisher animations.
What annoys the fans? The catch is that the additional choice of 4 instead of 2 heroes can only be purchased with real money or the new real money currency. Previously, it was possible to increase the selection solely by using earned gold. That will no longer be possible. So, anyone who wants the maximum selection of heroes will have to reach into their pockets.
Those who do not spend money will only have the choice of 2 heroes at the start; those who throw cash at the problem can choose from up to 4 heroes – a pretty big advantage, especially since the heroes in the Battlegrounds mode are currently rather poorly balanced and there are drastic differences in win rates.
For many, it is clear: More choice increases the chances of winning, and if more choice can only be obtained through real money, then it is pay-to-win.
Blizzard has a clear reason for the change and explains in response to the question of why players now have to pay real money for bonuses:
We want the Battlegrounds mode to be played for many years to come and remain popular among players. This change allows us to continue supporting the growing Battlegrounds community and create content for them.
Or in other words: They are currently not making enough money from the Battlegrounds mode to be able to support it long-term.
Premium currency replaces real money purchases
The second major change is the introduction of a new premium currency called ‘Runestones’. During the transition phase, purchases with both real money and runestones will be possible, but later most purchases will be handled via runestones.
In some special cases, such as the pre-order of a new expansion, the purchase of the Tavern Pass, or direct purchases of packs, the purchase will still be possible directly with real money.
In the community, the announcement is leading to many memes:
The biggest criticism is that Blizzard is obscuring the actual costs of purchases. Because if purchases are no longer quantified by a direct euro price but instead a ‘fantasy currency’ like runestones is placed in between, then the actual price of a purchase is often lost. When one has to convert how much a runestone is actually worth in euros or cents, the real price is obscured.
Blizzard promises that they will sell runestones in quantities that correspond to the most important product sizes, but that seems to hardly convince fans.
Especially flimsy is Blizzard’s argument that they can “thanks to runestones […] also offer smaller items, such as the individual Battlegrounds hero skins, that are coming to the shop with this patch.”
Here, Hearthstone critics note that these skins could also have simply been offered for a small cent amount in the shop instead of introducing a new premium currency.
Runestones will be available exclusively for money. They cannot be earned in the game.
When is the patch coming? Update 24.2 with the runestones and Battlegrounds season 2 including the reward track and the supposed pay-to-win starts on August 30.
What do you think of these changes? Good and reasonable? Or just a money grab?
