Hearthstone's next expansion homes in on Horde heartland Kalimdor Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Hearthstone's next expansion homes in on Horde heartland Kalimdor Strategy RPG mode coming later this year. News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Updated on 19 Feb 2021 Hearthstone's big Blizzconline announcements include the game's next expansion, in-game year, and a strategy RPG mode named Hearthstone Mercenaries coming later in 2021. As announced last week, Hearthstone will soon get a big shake-up with the introduction of a new 235-card Core Set, which replaces the previous Basic and Classic sets. There's also a new Classic Format, so you can play Hearthstone exactly as it was when it launched back in 2014. Watch on YouTube All of that arrives at the start of the Year of the Gryphon, which sorts and expands spell cards into seven-type groups, and also brings new expansion Forged in the Barrens. Horde players will feel right at home in this latest release, which is set in Kalimdor and feature numerous references to the World of Warcraft original. 135 new cards feature Shadow Hunter Vol'jin, quilboar raiders and (of course) Mankrik's wife. 10 new legendary character cards will be included, and there's a new keyword - Frenzy - which activates an effect the first time a minion survives damage. Looking ahead to later in the year, Blizzard has pencilled in a launch for new game mode Hearthstone Mercenaries. You'll use cards to build a team of Warcraft and Hearthstone characters and send them into battle, where they can power up and eventually become legends. More on that in the future. Tweaked versions of some familiar faces feature in Hearthstone's new Core Set. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 13 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store