Summary
Hearthstoneis making some massive changes to Arena, which will now feature two sections: a shorter, more streamlined version of Arena, and the new high-risk, high-reward Underground. These massive changes to the originalHearthstonedraft mode are arriving on June 3.
Arena is a premium game mode inHearthstonewhere players create decks from randomly drafted cards, after which they keep going until 12 wins or three losses. Entering the arena costs a Tavern Ticket or 150 Gold, with fans earning greater rewards the more wins they get on each run.
However,Hearthstoneis soon making some big changes to Arena. Firstly, the game mode is now being split into two sections: The Arena and The Underground. The former is a smaller, faster, and more streamlined version of the original mode, designed to be more accessible to newer players and for those who want a more traditional draft experience. That said, fans who win at least seven games across all Arena runs will unlock the ability to enter the Underground – a challenging gauntlet that features higher risks and greater rewards.
Unlocked automatically
Unlocked after 7 wins in The Arena
Ends after 5 wins or 2 losses
Ends after 12 wins or 3 losses
Rewards packs, cards, Dust, Tavern Ticket
Rewards packs, cards, Dust, Gold, Tavern Tickets, Spectral Ner’zhul hero skin
Skill-based matchmaking
No matchmaking
No leaderboards
No Crowd’s Favor
Crowd’s Favor (chance at 2000 gold for 6+ wins)
The new version of Arena still costs one Tavern Ticket or 150 Gold to enter, but now only lasts until fans win five games or lose two. Players who do well on their Arena runs can earn card packs, Dust, and cards, with another free Tavern Ticket to those who win five games. To facilitate a smoother drafting experience,LegendaryHearthstonecardsdrafted at the beginning will come in Legendary Groups, which will include three extra cards that synergize its effects and strategies. The Arena uses skill-based matchmaking to pair fans with foes of similar skill, but no longer has a leaderboard.
Meanwhile, the Underground is a high-risk, high-reward version of the classic drafting experience. Entering costs two Tavern Tickets, or 300 Gold, and goes until one gets 12 wins or three losses like the original Arena. However, in The Underground, players can now re-draft five cards to modify their decks after a loss, allowing them to fine-tune their strategy for future rounds. Tons of packs, cards, and Tavern Tickets await those who perform well, with the Spectral Ner’zhul hero skin for theShaman class inHearthstonegiven to those who get all 12 wins – but those who get at least six in a single run have a low chance to earn the Crowd’s Favor in the form of 2000 Gold, with chance increasing the further they go. That said, The Underground does not use any matchmaking algorithms, meaning competitors of all skill levels can freely be matched together, regardless of rank on the leaderboard.
Current runs of Arena end on June 2, with this big update ostensibly arriving alongside it. Fans can also expect an official reveal forThe Shrouded City,the second expansion forHearthstone’s Year of the Raptor, soon as well.
