Hearthstone is showing its villainous side in next expansion Rise of Shadows Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Hearthstone is showing its villainous side in next expansion Rise of Shadows Arrives next month. News by Matt Wales Reporter Updated on 14 Mar 2019 9 comments Blizzard has announced that Hearthstone's next expansion, Rise of Shadows, will be coming to all the things (PC, iOS, and Android, to be exact) on April 9th. Rise of Shadows marks the start of Hearthstone's first-ever year-long storyline, and focusses on a coalition of villains - including familiar faces such as King Togwaggle, Madame Lazul, Dr. Boom, and Hagatha the Witch - as they terrorise the land. "After suffering defeat at the hands of the League of Explorers," explains Blizzard in a flourish of scene-setting, "Arch-Thief Rafaam realised that his designs on Azeroth would require more roguery than he alone could muster. In the years since, he has dwelled in the shadows, recruiting the greatest antagonists Hearthstone has ever seen to join the League of E.V.I.L.". All of which sets the stage for an expansion that enables players to indulge their nefarious side, using 135 "dastardly" new cards. These include new 1/1 minions known as Lackeys, described as "low-level operatives [that] will be crucial in unleashing the League's sinister Schemes", while Schemes are new spells that grow in power each turn they remain in a player's hand. There's also talk of a mysterious crime-fighting team, known as the Defenders of Dalaran, that can unleash Twinspells - Spells that duplicate themselves when cast, ready to be cast again on a later turn. Blizzards says it will reveal more on the Defenders of Dalaran soon. Those in a pre-purchase mood have two options as far as Rise of Shadows goes; there's a 50-pack bundle (£44.99) that includes a random Legendary and the Jewel of Lazul card back. Alternatively, there's the 80-pack Mega Bundle (£69.99), featuring a random golden Legendary, the Jewel of Lazul card back, and the new playable priest hero Madame Lazul. Both of these bundles are available now until April 9th. 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 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 5 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 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