Hearthstone 101: How beginners tackle Standard and Whispers of the Old Gods

If you’ve ever been interested in playing Blizzard Entertainment’s collectible card juggernaut Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft but never jumped in, now is a great time to give it a try.

This week, new players have a bit easier time getting started. Several decks poofed from that mode, meaning that you’re not as far behind veteran players than you think you are. The new mode limits players to cards released in the past two years, and to classic cards from the very start of the game. It’s how Blizzard is attempting to keep Hearthstone fresh and engaging for veterans while still making it less intimidating for new players — a key strategy in the new $1.2 billion card game market. Hearthstone’s the leader here, making $20 million a month, according to SuperData.