Overview
- Blizzard unveiled the expansion at BlizzCon on Saturday, Sept. 12, and confirmed Reign of the Black Empire will launch on October 20, 2026.
- The set introduces a new keyword called Assemble that merges the text boxes of two minions to create combined effects for stronger combos.
- A new minion type—described as Aberrations or Apparitions—was added with mechanics that bring the game closer to 'awakening' Warcraft’s Old Gods when they die.
- Blizzard will add the Monk as Hearthstone’s next playable class in March 2027, marking the first new class in several years with fuller details to come in later developer updates.
- The update also overhauls the in-game Journal into The Journey, a free narrative hub for stories and time-limited modes like 2v2, and Blizzard has not yet released final card lists or balance details so the expansion’s competitive impact remains to be seen.