You hear that? Sounds like some big dinosaurs are closing in.
Blizzard outlined today a series of daily log-in rewards leading up to the launch of the Year of the Mammoth, the next cycle in the digital card game’s Standard rotation which switches out cards from older sets. Blizzard already noted that the Year of the Mammoth will open along with the new expansion, Journey to Un’Goro, which will add 135 new cards with a primeval theme. The log-in rewards end on April 5, so it looks like April 6 is the likely launch day for both events. We’ve reached out to Blizzard for clarification.
In 2016, Hearthstone earned $394.6 million earned in revenue, according to research firm SuperData. It is the leader in the digital card game market. Expansions like this keep players engaged and give them new digital packs of cards to buy, giving the free-to-play game on PC and mobile a way to continue making money. Meanwhile, the Year of the Mammoth will shake up Standard mode by making many of the game’s most powerful and played cards ineligible.
The free log-in rewards start on March 29. They include:
- March 29: 50 gold.
- March 30: Mean Streets of Gadgetzan card pack.
- March 31: 100 Dust.
- April 1: Whispers of the Old Gods card pack.
- April 2: Journey to Un’Goro card pack
- April 3: 50 gold.
- April 4: Journey to Un’Goro card pack.
- April 5: A golden Volcanosaur card.
Journey to Un’Goro is the first of three expansions planned for the year. Before, Blizzard would alternate between large card dumps in expansions and Adventures, sets that included fewer cards but featured story-based battles against computer opponents. This year, Blizzard is only releasing expansions, but the developer does plan to release Adventure-style campaigns with the rest of the sets in 2017.