Deceptively simple in design but epically engaging, Hearthstone will be instantly accessible to players regardless of their familiarity with Warcraft or collectible card games. Whether players prefer to wield magic or arms in battle, strike from the shadows or head on—or have never given any of that much thought—they’ll be able to jump right in, create a deck, and get in on the card-slinging action.

In addition to honing their skills in practice matches against the computer and taking on their buddies via their Battle.net friends list, players can challenge each other in two competitive game modes. “Play Mode” features traditional head-to-head battles, with players facing off for a chance to increase their medal ranking and earn card packs along the way. And for a different type of challenge, players can enter “The Forge,” where they start each match by building a deck from a new set of cards, and then use that deck to duel other Forge participants. Aside from winning new cards, players will be able to round out their collections by purchasing new card packs or disenchanting some of their existing cards to craft the ones they’re missing.

With hundreds of cards to choose from, featuring a wide range of colorful Warcraft spells, weapons, and characters, players will have limitless possibilities for developing and fine-tuning their deck-building strategies.

Excitement is in the air as brave champions hailing from the icy reaches of Northrend to the deserts of southern Kalimdor ready their lances for battle.

Let it be known throughout the land that the upcoming expansion to Blizzard Entertainment’s Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft will bring knightly combatants together from all over to prove their martial prowess. All told, The Grand Tournament will welcome 132 noble cards to the (round) table as well as introduce an all-new keyword—Inspire.

The Grand Tournament transports brave Hearthstone duelists to the frigid continent of Northrend, where the heroes of the Argent Crusade once held a tournament to coax out Azeroth’s greatest fighters—and prepare them to battle the undead legions at the icy heart of the realm. The Lich King’s evil has been vanquished, but that doesn’t mean the jousting has to stop . . . the competitive atmosphere’s just a lot more playful (and a bit warmer) than it used to be.

When rallying new recruits to their cause, players will notice that some of these knights possess an all-new keyword—Inspire. Minions with the Inspire keyword have a special ability that can only be activated by using the Hero’s Power. This means that Hero Powers now play an even greater role in strategy, as they can be used to inspire some minions to reach their full potential in battle by calling reinforcements, restoring health, and much more! Players will want to use these minions wisely to give their play the perfect boost!

Coming on August 24, 2015 to PC, iOS, and Android tablets, and mobile phones, The Grand Tournament card packs will be winnable in Hearthstone’s Arena mode and purchasable with in-game gold or real money at the same prices as Hearthstone’s other card packs. Starting next week, anyone ready for battle can pre-purchase The Grand Tournament card packs in a special 50-pack bundle, on any platform, for a one-time price of $49.99 (one purchase per account) up until release. Doing so will reward them handsomely with a triumphant new card back . . . and the unbridled joy that can only come from opening dozens of card packs when the Grand Tournament begins.

 Key Features

• Collection Manager: Peruse your ever-expanding card collection and build a variety of custom decks to suit all kinds of strategies. If you’re new to deck-building, you can also get guided help here on how to fill out your deck for competitive play.
• Crafting: Disenchant those extra cards in your collection to receive arcane dust, the building block used to construct Hearthstone cards. You can then use this dust to craft the cards needed to complete one or more of your decks or your overall collection. 
• Friendly Duels: Want to challenge your buddy to a quick match (or just show off your shiny new cards)? Hearthstone is connected to Battle.net, so you’ll be able to fire up a game with a friend right from your friends list.
• Three Different Game Modes
  • Play Mode: Duel opponents online to boost your medal ranking and earn packs of cards. Whether you’re a grizzled veteran, curious newcomer, or fall somewhere in between, our matchmaking system will pit you against worthy competition.
  • The Forge: Put your skills to the test in this mode where deck-building is half the fun. You'll be presented with a series of card choices from which you must forge your deck, and then you’ll bring that deck into battle against other duelists. In addition to having a chance to win card packs as prizes if you duel well, all participants will keep the cards they selected for their Forge deck.
  • Practice Mode: Hone your skills and test out new deck ideas against basic or expert AI opponents, and unlock eight playable heroes in the process.