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Hearthstone Esports

Esports news, tournaments, matches and much more.
Latest news
The 2025 Game Awards Winners: Counter-Strike Claims Top Esports Accolade

The 2025 Game Awards Winners: Counter-Strike Claims Top Esports Accolade

The 2025 Game Awards winners have claimed their accolades at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California. In an event set to honor some of the greatest and most influential names in the industry, games like Counter-Strike and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stood out as the biggest winners of the night. When it came to the Best Esports Athlete award, the race became a tight affair between LoL's Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon and CS2's Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut. Whoever the winner maymore

12 Dec
Martin Arévalo-Östberg
Hearthstone News
Hearthstone World Championship 2025: Format, Schedule, Players, Choose Your Champion, and More!

Hearthstone World Championship 2025: Format, Schedule, Players, Choose Your Champion, and More!

The 2025 Hearthstone Masters Tour is heading for its grand conclusion as the best players from all over the world clash for the biggest title. The Hearthstone World Championship 2025 will feature 16 players compete for a piece of the $500,000 prize pool and a place in HS history starting Thursday, December 18. Here's everything you need to know about the 2025 Hearthstone World Championship, including a detailed look at the schedule, the full lineup of players, what drops you stand to gain, and more. 2025 Hearthstone World Championship Schedule and Format This year's Hearthstone World Championship will run frommore

12 Dec
Martin Arévalo-Östberg
Team BDS to Reportedly Rebrand to Shifters

Team BDS to Reportedly Rebrand to Shifters

Back in June of this year (2025), Team BDS announced that it would be undergoing a major transformation in the following months. According to a report by Sophie Marenne from the Swiss business magazine PME, this transformation will include a complete rebrand; one which will see Team BDS drop their current name and adopt that of Shifters instead. From BDS to Shifters In Marenne's report, Shifters' legal director, Jocelyn Roux, explained that the rebrand aims to strengthen the organization's local identity. Themore

8 Dec
Martin Arévalo-Östberg
more Hearthstone News

Hearthstone is a free-to-play, online digital collectible card game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Released on March 11, 2014, the game builds upon the existing lore of the Warcraft series.

The core gameplay is a turn-based card game between two opponents. Players utilize a custom-built deck of 30 cards and a selected hero character with a unique power. The objective is to reduce the opponent's hero's health to zero by playing minion, spell, and weapon cards. The game is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android platforms and features cross-platform play.

Development and Launch

  • Announcement: First announced as Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft at the Penny Arcade Expo in March 2013.
  • Beta: A closed beta began in the Americas region in August 2013, followed by an open beta in January 2014.
  • Release: The game officially launched on March 11, 2014, for Windows and macOS. Mobile versions for iPad were released in April 2014, and for Android and iOS phones in April 2015.
  • Development Team: The game was developed by "Team 5," a smaller, experimental development team within Blizzard Entertainment.

Hearthstone as an Esport

Since its launch, Hearthstone has maintained a significant presence in the esports landscape, characterized by high-stakes tournaments and a dedicated professional player base.

The Competitive Ecosystem

Hearthstone's competitive structure is organized by Blizzard and has evolved multiple times since its inception. The current system is centered on a series of premier events that players can qualify for through consistent high-level play.

  • Qualification Path: The primary method for entering the top tier of competitive play is through the in-game ranked ladder. Achieving a top placement in a given season rewards players with "Competitive Points."
  • Masters Tour Playoffs: High point earners from each region gain entry into Masters Tour Playoffs.
  • Masters Tour Championships: The top finishers from the regional playoffs advance to the Masters Tour Championships. These events feature a substantial prize pool and are a direct stepping stone to the World Championship.
  • Open Qualifiers: A new addition for 2025, Open Qualifiers provide a direct path to the Masters Tour Playoffs for top-finishing players, creating more opportunities for new talent to enter the competitive scene.

Major Tournaments and Leagues

The pinnacle of Hearthstone competition is the annual World Championship, supplemented by a circuit of qualifying tournaments.

  • Hearthstone World Championship: This is the premier event of the competitive year. The prize pool for the World Championship has historically been significant, ranging from $350,000 to over $1,000,000.
  • Hearthstone Masters Tours: These are international tournaments that serve as the main circuit for professional play. Each Masters Tour features a prize pool of $50,000 and rewards top players with invitations to the World Championship.
  • Innkeeper's Invitational: The first official Hearthstone tournament was held at BlizzCon in 2013, even before the game's official release. It featured eight prominent streamers, with Dan "Artosis" Stemkoski emerging as the victor.

Notable Players

The professional Hearthstone scene has seen numerous players achieve international recognition and significant winnings. Player rankings are typically based on total prize money earned.

  • Pavel "Pavel" Beltukov: Winner of the 2016 Hearthstone World Championship, earning $250,000.
  • Chen "tom60229" Wei Lin: Crowned World Champion in 2017, also winning a $250,000 grand prize.
  • Thijs "Thijs" Molendijk: A long-time professional for G2 Esports, Thijs has won numerous tournaments and has earned over $500,000 in prize money throughout his career.
  • Aleksandr "Kolento" Malsh: An early innovator in the game, Kolento has won more tournament titles than most other professionals and was widely considered the top player in the game's early years.

Professional Teams

While Hearthstone is an individual (1v1) competition, esports organizations play a crucial role in supporting players. These teams provide salaries, travel support, and branding, allowing players to focus on competition.

  • Prominent Organizations: Throughout Hearthstone's history, major esports organizations such as G2 Esports, Cloud9, Natus Vincere (Na'Vi), and the former yoe Flash Wolves have sponsored top-tier players and have been fixtures in the competitive scene.
  • Player Support: Teams facilitate players' participation in global events and contribute to the overall professionalism and stability of the Hearthstone esports ecosystem.

FAQ

Welcome to our Hearthstone Esports page, your one-stop destination for all things related to the exhilarating world of Hearthstone esports. Dive into the latest news, tournament updates, and in-depth match analysis, while exploring the intricate strategies and tactics that define this popular deck-builder.

Discover the unique cards, tactics, and builds that make Hearthstone a challenging and rewarding experience for both casual fans and professional competitors. Our platform offers a wealth of resources, insights, and community connections that allow you to fully immerse yourself in the fast-paced, strategic gameplay and rich competitive scene of Hearthstone esports.