Overview
- Executive producer Nathan Lyons-Smith says the BlizzCon 2026 announcement will be sizable but "not a Hearthstone 2" or a whole new game.
- Cataclysm reframes WoW’s storyline with Deathwing’s return, a Worldbreaker Neutral Hero card with abilities like Raze and Topple, the Rewind play redo, and the comeback of Colossal minions.
- New mechanics include Herald for lieutenant-aligned classes, Shatter for Dragonflight allies, and class-specific Triumphs and Last Stands spells.
- The Dragon’s Hoard event on March 10 grants free access during the Cataclysm cycle to Into the Emerald Dream and The Lost City, plus starter deck recipes and beginner-focused matchmaking.
- The Core Set shifts to the Year of the Scarab, rotating staples like Brawl and Shadowstep and adding replacements such as Decimation and Shadow of Demise; console or handheld versions remain unannounced, with platform expansion only reported as a growing priority under Microsoft.