Pre-purchase Descent of Dragons card pack bundles and unlock a golden Legendary card, a Deathwing Warrior Hero, and bonus features^† in Hearthstone: Battlegrounds—an all-new eight-player game mode

Receive all five versions of Galakrond—the mightiest dragon in Warcraft^® history—free when the new expansion for Blizzard Entertainment’s free-to-play digital card game launches on 11 December^*

SYDNEY, Australia—2 November, 2019, The Year of the Dragon—Blizzard Entertainment today unveiled Descent of Dragons™, a high-flying 135-card expansion for its smash-hit free-to-play digital card game Hearthstone®. Hatching on 11 December, the epic conclusion to Hearthstone’s first-ever year-long story line will arm players with draconic firepower—including the ability to transform into Galakrond, the mightiest dragon in Warcraft^® history.

The Year of the Dragon beganwith Rise of Shadows^™, where players were introduced to the League of E.V.I.L., a shadowy organisation led by the notorious Archvillain Rafaam. In Saviors of Uldum^™, the villains threatened to unleash a world-ending plague, but players joined up with the League of Explorers to save the day. Now, in Descent of Dragons, the forces of good and evil will settle things once and for all with the help of dragons—lots and lots of dragons.

The League of E.V.I.L. plans to bring doom to Azeroth by resurrecting Galakrond—the father of all dragons—who’s playable in different forms in Hearthstone as a set of five new Hero cards. Available to the five “E.V.I.L.” classes—Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, and Warrior—Galakrond takes on a form appropriate to the corresponding class, each with a unique Battlecry and Hero Power. 

Cultist minions and spells with the new Invoke keyword will trigger the effect of Galakrond’s Hero Power. Invoking multiple times upgrades Galakrond into his two increasingly stronger forms, the mightiest of which is Galakrond, Azeroth’s End—which comes into play with a quadruple-strength Battlecry and a powerful claw attack. Hearthstone players who log in when Descent of Dragons swoops in^* will receive all five Galakrond Hero cards free.

Heroic Druids, Hunters, Mages, and Paladins can cower in the face of Galakrond’s might, or they can bravely prepare to face their doom by completing the new Sidequests, which provide a variety of accessible early-game goals and rewards.

“We love constantly exploring new ideas with Hearthstone, from telling an epic year-long story to introducing fun new ways to play,” said J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment. “Descent of Dragons embodies that value—we think players will have a blast with all of the new cards as well as the new gameplay mechanics we’re introducing with this expansion.”

Until launch, players can pre-purchase two different Descent of Dragons card pack bundles: a 60-pack bundle, which includes a Descent of Dragons-specific golden Legendary card and the Shattering card back; and the massive 100-pack Mega Bundle, which includes those bonuses and the new Deathwing playable Warrior Hero. These bundles are available for $66.95 AUD and $109.95 AUD respectively; one of each can be purchased per account.

Prepare to Enter the Battlegrounds

At BlizzCon^® 2019, Blizzard unveiled Hearthstone: Battlegrounds, an all-newway to play. Hearthstone: Battlegrounds is a raucous eight-player auto-battler featuring 24 unique Heroes, in which players will recruit minions, strategically position them, and watch as they battle for supremacy.

This free game mode is designed as a standalone experience that uses Hearthstone as a foundation, but it does not require building or maintaining a card collection. Hearthstone: Battlegrounds will be available to everyone when it enters open beta on Tuesday, 12 November. An early access period will be available from 6-12 November for everyone who attended BlizzCon, purchased the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, or pre-purchased either of the Descent of Dragons bundles.

Beginning with Descent of Dragons, everyone will receive free access to Hearthstone: Battlegrounds. While nonessential for play, Hearthstone players will be able to unlock optional bonus features when they acquire card packs from the most recent expansion (starting with Descent of Dragons). ^† This includes free packs, those acquired with in-game gold, or those purchased with real money. At 10 packs, players unlock comprehensive stat-tracking in Hearthstone: Battlegrounds (slated for release following beta testing); at 20 they can choose from three different Bosses instead of two at the start of each match; and at 30, players unlock the ability to playfully communicate with their opponents using a visual emote system.

To learn more about Descent of Dragons, fly over to www.descentofdragons.com, and be on the lookout for more information regarding Battlegrounds soon.

Prepare to Cross into the Realm of the Dead in World of Warcraft^®: Shadowlands

Otherworldly wonders and challenges await players as they journey through the realms of the afterlife and gain new power from the Covenants that rule there

Brave the hazards of Torghast, Tower of the Damned—an ever-changing dungeon for solo players and groups of up to five—and claim legendary treasures

Available for pre-purchase in the Blizzard Shop starting today, with multiple options offering multiple entry points and more benefits

SYDNEY, Australia—2 November, 2019 AEDT/NZDT—Sylvanas Windrunner, fallen leader of the Horde, has pierced the veil between Azeroth and the realm of the dead, setting in motion a series of events that threatens to upset the cosmic balance between life and death. Blizzard Entertainment today revealed World of Warcraft^®: Shadowlands, the latest expansion for the company’s acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game, in which Azeroth’s heroes will confront the wonders and horrors of the afterlife as they deal with the consequences of Sylvanas’ actions.

World of Warcraft players entering the fabled Shadowlands will find the realms of the dead in upheaval. Under the normal order, departed souls were delivered to a realm appropriate to the lives they led, but now, all souls are being funnelled into the Maw, where the most wicked are damned to suffer for eternity. As they seek to right the cycle and uncover the extent of Sylvanas’ designs, players will forge bonds with the Covenants who hold domain over different planes within the Shadowlands:

• The steadfast Kyrian of Bastion, whose discipline and duty compels them to safeguard souls from the mortal realm as they pass into the Shadowlands.
• The mysterious Night Fae of Ardenweald, who fiercely defend the spirits of nature from those who would deprive them of rebirth.
• The cunning Venthyr of Revendreth, who feast on the souls of the prideful and vain in a gothic realm of opulence and torment.
• The warlike Necrolords of Maldraxxus, who forge the undead armies that serve as the first line of defence for the Shadowlands and honour those who seek power and glory in battle.

In their journeys through the Shadowlands, players will also come face-to-face with some of the departed legends of the Warcraft^® universe, such as Uther the Lightbringer, who struggles against dark forces that seek to transform him into a symbol of retribution, and Kael’thas, who pursues vengeance on an enemy from his past while confined to Revendreth for the crimes he committed in life.

“Shadowlands is taking us somewhere we’ve never dreamed of going in the Warcraft universe, and that’s incredibly exciting,” said J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment. “We can’t wait to explore the great beyond, catch up with old departed friends, and forge an epic new chapter in the Warcraft saga together with our players.”

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Features

A host of new features and activities await players in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. When they cross into the realm-between-realms, players will be able to:

• Explore the Realm of the Dead: For the first time ever in World of Warcraft, players will cross into the Shadowlands and experience the wonders and horrors of the afterlife across five new zones—the gleaming fields of Bastion, the scarred battlefields of Maldraxxus, the eternal twilight of Ardenweald, the opulent keeps of Revendreth, and thehorrific Maw.
• Claim a Covenant’s Power: Players will be called upon to forge a bond with one of four Covenants that rule Shadowlands’ new zones, setting the tone for their journey through the expansion with a full Covenant Campaign. As they level up, they’ll get new abilities based on their choice, including class-specific abilities for each Covenant—as well as developing Soulbinds with specific Covenant members, which grant them access to that character’s specific traits and bonuses.
• Ascend the Tower of the Damned: At the heart of the Maw lies Torghast, Tower of the Damned, a cursed otherworldly prison where the wickedest souls in the universe are locked away. Highly replayable and inspired by roguelike games, heroes are invited to explore its ever-changing halls and chambers and do battle with the minions of the Jailer, Torghast’s vile ruler. Those who brave its trials can claim legendary treasures and help free the heroic spirits wrongfully trapped within.
• Every Level Is Meaningful: Shadowlands will introduce a new levelling system, meant to provide a meaningful sense of advancement with every level achieved.Current max-level characters will begin Shadowlands at level 50 and work toward the new level cap of 60.
• A New Army of the Dead Rises: To combat Sylvanas’ assault on Icecrown, Bolvar Fordragon— the revered former paladin who took on the mantle of Lich King to keep the Scourge at bay—has raised heroes from among all the peoples of Azeroth to bolster the Death Knights of Acherus. With Shadowlands, pandaren and all allied races will now be able to become Death Knights.
• Improved Character Customisation Options: A host of new appearance options for all races will be made available to players when they create new World of Warcraft characters (or alter existing ones at the in-game barber shop).

Pre-purchase Options

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is available for pre-purchase digitally from the Blizzard Shopstarting today, with three different options all designed with player preference in mind. The Base Edition of Shadowlands is available for$59.95 AUD / $64.99 NZD, providing a new lower entry point compared to previous expansions. The Heroic Edition ($89.95 AUD / $97.49 NZD) includes the expansion; a level-120 character boost; and the Ensorcelled Everwyrm mount, which provides access to a questline through which players can earn the Vestments of the Eternal Traveler transmogrification set. The Epic Edition ($119.95 AUD / $129.99 NZD) includes the Anima Wyrmling pet; the Wraithchill cosmetic weapon effect; the Eternal Traveler’s Hearthstone, designed with a unique visual effect; and 30 days of game time, in addition to all the contents from the Heroic Edition.

All bonuses from the Heroic and Epic Editions are unlocked immediately upon pre-purchase. In addition, pre-purchasing any edition of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands will open the ability for players to create pandaren and allied race Death Knights once the Visions of N’Zoth content update for the current expansion, Battle for Azeroth^™, arrives in the coming months.

For more information on World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, visit www.worldofwarcraft.com.