BlizzCon 2019 recap: Diablo 4, Overwatch 2 and other big announcements

Hearthstone: Battlegrounds

It was only a matter of time until Blizzard jumped into the auto-battler arena. Attempting to replicate the success of Dota Auto Chess and Teamfight Tactics, Blizzard announced their own eight-player auto-battler, Hearthstone: Battlegrounds.

While Hearthstone: Battlegrounds is built on the foundation of Hearthstone, featuring 24 unique heroes, there is no deckbuilding or card collecting. It’s all about recruiting minions, strategically positioning them on a board and watching as they battle. What makes Blizzard’s version stand out from others is the way in which the auto-battler is presented. It still very much resembles the look and feel of Hearthstone.

Battlegrounds will arrive in the Tavern on November 5 for a week of Early Access for those who have purchased the Descent of Dragons pre-purchase bundle, BlizzCon Attendees, or BlizzCon Virtual Ticket holders. When Early Access ends on November 12, Battlegrounds will enter Open Beta and will be playable for everyone.

Optional bonus features for Battlegrounds will be unlocked when acquiring card packs from recent expansions, but they are nonessential for play. That said, some of them seem pretty important, such as comprehensive stat-tracking (unlocked at 10 packs).