July 7, 2017, 2:30 am | Read time: 3 minutes

With 50 million players worldwide, “Hearthstone” is the most successful online collectible card game in the world. Developer Blizzard, also known for creating “World of Warcraft,” regularly enhances the successful title with new card expansions. The next expansion is set to release in August–and TECHBOOK is among the first media outlets to present it.

The new “Hearthstone” expansion will be called “Knights of the Frozen Throne.” Like previous expansions, it will consist of 135 new cards. An exact release date has not been set, but Blizzard announces that the new cards will be released sometime in August.

The First New Cards

What’s New in “Hearthstone”

The first new cards provide only a rough impression of what the complete expansion will ultimately look like–after all, these are just 5 out of 135 cards. However, it is already known what the major innovations of the expansion are: For one, Blizzard is introducing a new keyword, as with most expansions. This time, it’s the term “Lifesteal.” Whenever a Lifesteal card deals damage, the player heals for the same amount.

Additionally, there will be a legendary hero portrait for each class. This replaces the actual portrait mid-game and grants the player a more powerful hero ability. The first video announcement already shows the version for the Hunter class. All other cards will be revealed gradually over the coming weeks.

Although “Hearthstone” is primarily a multiplayer game, the new expansion will include a solo section. In this, players face off against computer-controlled decks and can secure several rewards, including a random legendary card.

Additionally, the expansion includes this new game board and a new card back for pre-orders:

How to Get the New Cards

“Hearthstone” is a free-to-play game, meaning it is free to play. New cards can be purchased with earned coins or real money–a system Blizzard has implemented very successfully. As early as 2015, Blizzard reportedly made more than 20 million dollars monthly from “Hearthstone” card pack sales. The game is now played by significantly more people than back then. However, there are no official figures on how much money Blizzard earns from “Hearthstone” packs.

What “Hearthstone” Is About

In Blizzard’s fantasy card game, two players compete online against each other. Using spells and minions, players try to reduce the opponent’s health points to zero round by round. Both players have a custom deck of 30 cards each. The world’s best players have developed sophisticated strategies and compete in major tournaments for prize money in the millions.