How Hearthstone’s designers crafted Duels and Madness at the Darkmoon Faire

Posted byby Mike Minotti
October 26, 2020
Updated June 18, 2025
9 min

Thursday was a big day for Hearthstone. Blizzard Entertainment’s digital card game behemoth announced a new expansion — Madness at the Darkmoon Faire — a new game mode called Duels, and a revamp to its progression system.

The Hearthstone team has been busy. The game may be aging, having debuted in 2014, but constant updates like these keep fans attached to the free-to-play experience (and more likely to spend money on digital card packs). That’s why Hearthstone is still king of the digital card game world, topping competitors like Magic: The Gathering Arena and Runeterra.

Unlock premium content and VIP community perks with GB M A X! Join now to enjoy our free and premium perks.

Join now →

Sign in to your account.

Written by

Mike Minotti

Mike Minotti has been with GamesBeat since 2012, starting as an intern. Based near Youngstown, Ohio, he now manages GamesBeat's editorial team. He's also a prolific podcaster, appearing on multiple shows covering the gaming industry.