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Major ‘World of Warcraft,’ ‘Hearthstone’ expansions unveiled at BlizzCon 2017
“Warcraft” fans have a lot to look forward to, as we learned at BlizzCon 2017, the annual celebration of all things Blizzard Entertainment, held on November 3 and 4.
Blizzard surprised fans with the reveal of new expansions and a host of other enhancements for “World of Warcraft” and “Hearthstone.”
Blizzard’s long-running MMORPG will soon be set ablaze by its 7th major expansion, “Battle for Azeroth.
The cataclysmic conflict against the demonic Legion has left not only the world shattered, but so too what little trust lingered between the Alliance and the Horde. In the expansion, the two factions go head-to-head in a new, brutal war that will determine the future of Azeroth and its disparate races.
Conflict is at the heart of the ‘Warcraft’ saga, and in ‘Battle for Azeroth,’ tensions that have been simmering for a long time escalate into all-out war,” stated Blizzard Entertainment CEO and cofounder, Mike Morhaime.
He continued: “‘World of Warcraft’ players are incredibly passionate about the characters and factions they identify with in the game, and this expansion will make them prouder than ever to declare their allegiance to the Horde or to the Alliance.”
“Battle for Azeroth” will task players with embarking on a multitude of quests, with the end goal of turning the tides of war in their faction’s favor.
A number of new Allied Races, each boasting unique abilities, will be playable for the first time. Joining the Horde are the Zandalari Trolls, Highmountain Tauren, and Nightborne, while the Alliance will be welcoming the Dark Iron Dwarves, Lightforged Dranei, and Void Elves into their fold.
Players also get to plunder the Islands of the Great Sea for vital resources necessary to bolster the war effort. Groups of three players race across uncharted islands – while struggling against either A.I. or player-controlled enemies – to gather said resources.
Other upcoming features include large-scale, 20-player cooperative battles for control of strategic locations; Titanic Might armor customization and enhancement through the use of the new Azerite resource; the new 120-level skill cap; additional raids and dungeons; and more.
In addition to “Battle for Azeroth,” Blizzard announced “World of Warcraft Classic,” which aims to take players back in time to the game’s beginnings, prior to over a decade of expansions and visual upgrades. The project seems to be in its infancy, however, and Blizzard did not provide any further details about the gameplay and whatnot.
Hearthstone
In December, Blizzard’s free-to-play digital card game, “Hearthstone,” will be receiving the “Kobolds & Catacombs” major expansion.
Also up for grabs are 9 new Legendary Weapons, each designed with a specific class in mind. When the player logs in to “Hearthstone” after the launch of “Kobolds & Catacombs,” they’ll be awarded one such artifact for free.
Additionally, “Kobolds & Catacombs” will introduce a new game mode: the single-player Dungeon Runs. Starting with a novice deck, players will delve deeper and deeper into the dungeons, fighting increasingly challenging bosses and winning Dungeons Runs-exclusive cards with every hard-won victory. Defeat will mean an end to their exploits, however, so players must bring their best to the adventure.
“Eager treasure seekers can pre-purchase the new expansion card packs in a special 50-pack bundle for $49.99 and receive the jewel-encrusted ‘For the Hoard!’ card back for free,” stated Blizzard Entertainment.
For more information on “Kobolds & Catacombs,” visit its official site. — LA, GMA News
