Zakarya “xBlyzes” Hail is the champion of Masters Tour Los Angeles and the first champion to win more than one Masters Tour! A powerhouse out of France, xBlyzes bested Wan “TNCAnswer” Maozhi in an insane 3-2 matchup, taking home another championship trophy and $32,500, while securing a European spot in Grandmasters Season 2.

Following his victory at Masters Tour Arlington, xBlyzes was the player to beat this weekend. With a strong Top 8, which saw the defeat of three Grandmasters and the 2019 Global Finals champion, xBlyzes and TNCAnswer faced off in an unbelievable championship match. The competitive final match went the distance, culminating in a round 5 face off. Despite being down 2-0 early in the match, xBlyzes triumphed with his mastery of Rogue over TNCAnswer’s Paladin, a class he is considered the master of in the Chinese scene, following a dramatic reverse-sweep.

2019 was a difficult year for xBlyzes and he went into the 2020 Masters Tour season striving to be one of...

The Top 8 for Masters Tour Los Angeles are locked! After two days of Swiss Rounds, these 8 players have come out on top over almost 350 other competitors. You can watch Top 8 of Masters Tour Los Angeles compete live on YouTube.com/HearthstoneEsports!

• Facundo “Nalguidan” Pruzzo (9-0)
• Thijs “Thijs” Molendijk (8-1)
• Zakarya “xBlyzes” Hail (8-1)
• Kevin “Casie” Eberlein (8-1)
• Xiaomeng “Liooon” Li (8-1)
• Luke “NoHandsGamer” Kooken (8-1)
• Poramet “Bankyugi” Putchakan (7-2)
• Wan “TNCAnswer” Maozhi (7-2)

This Top 8 will prove to be the most competitive lineup seen in the final rounds of a Masters Tour so far. Securing their spots are 3 Grandmasters, 1 former Masters Tour champion, and the 2019 Global Finals champion. Following a single-elimination Day 3, the last standing champion will earn the Masters Tour Los Angeles trophy and $32,500.

While the Swiss Rounds of Day 1 and Day 2 could not be broadcast, we are thrilled to confirm that Dan "Frodan" Chou, TJ "Azumoqt" Sanders, Erik "DoA...

We dropped a mountain of information about all the exciting changes to Hearthstone alongside today’s patch notes, including a deep dive on the new Demon Hunter class! When you’ve finished reading about the Year of the Phoenix, check out the rest of what we’ve got going on:

• Introducing the Demon Hunter Class
• Announcing Ashes of Outland
• 16.6 Patch Notes

We’re ready to share with you a host of major changes coming to Hearthstone in the immediate future, as well as a roadmap of what we’ve got coming to the Tavern in the months to come!

Where We've Been and Where We're Going

The Year of the Dragon started with Rise of Shadows, where we introduced the League of E.V.I.L. and Arch-Villain Rafaam’s sinister scheme to commandeer the magical floating city of Dalaran. We then saddled up with the League of Explorers in Saviors of Uldum to stop E.V.I.L. from unleashing Uldum’s ancient secrets upon Azeroth. In the final act, Descent of Dragons, the League of Explorers put the ki...

UPDATE: For the overall safety and well-being of our staff and casters, and in alignment with California’s statewide ‘stay at home’ order, we are canceling the broadcast portion of Masters Tour Los Angeles. Matches will still take place online as previously scheduled. It is our intention to find a solution to showcase the Top 8 matches on Sunday and we will share those details as soon as we have more information. Best of luck to all of the competitors this weekend.

The Masters Tour returns this weekend for Master Tour Los Angeles! To protect the health and well-being of all players and staff, we recently announced the decision to restructure this event into an online-only Masters Tour. Over 300 invited players from over 40 countries will be joining us online as they compete for the Masters Tour trophy, a shot at becoming a Grandmaster, and their share of the USD $3,000,000 total prize purse for 2020!

While the matches will be played online, join Dan "Frodan" Chou, TJ "Azumo" Sand...

Mark your calendars! On March 17 at 9 a.m. PT, on both Twitch and YouTube, Brian Kibler will kick off our massive reveal showcase stream with Hearthstone Game Director Ben Lee! From there, we’ll dive deeper into our plans with Game Designers Chadd Nervig and Dean Ayala. We’re going to share more than we ever have before, so tune in and be the first to know what’s coming next to the tavern in 2020 and beyond. See you there!

It’s been a little while since our last Arena leaderboard update, and we know it’s been missed in the community. Moving forward, we’re planning to publish a bimonthly Arena leaderboard update so you can keep tabs on all the top players.   

Below are the Arena leaderboards for December 11, 2019 – February 26, 2020. Arena rankings reflect players’ best 30 consecutive runs throughout a season. The players featured below have exhibited top-notch deckbuilding skills, in-the-moment decision making, and unyielding dedication to achieve a most noteworthy feat! 

Dynamic ladder rankings are now also available for the Standard and Wild ladders.

• Arena

Upon further review of the coronavirus situation given the broad international nature of our event, with invitees from more than 40 different countries, we have made the decision to hold Masters Tour Los Angeles entirely online. After initially relocating from Indonesia, we were excited to host the Masters Tour in Los Angeles, but the safety and well-being of our community will always take precedence over hosting a live event.

Adjusting travel plans can be a difficult ask, so we will be providing up to $1,500 in reimbursement for non-refundable travel arrangements to all qualified competitors who have already booked their travel to Los Angeles. All invited players will receive an email no later than March 12 with details on required proof of documentation in order to receive travel reimbursement. We appreciate everyone’s flexibility and patience in the meantime.

Each Masters Tour is a unique competitive experience, with more than 300 qualified players from over 40 different countri...

There are some one-of-a-kind minds on the Hearthstone dev team. These are the folks who spent hours arguing about the number of holes in a straw, came up with a Battlecry that reads "wish for the perfect card", and orchestrated a rambunctious pep rally, complete with banners and gladiatorial chants, for their favorite Rastakhan’s Rumble teams.

Over the years the devs have come up with multitudinous ways to shenaniganize the tavern, and many of their concoctions are now only playable in Wild. Just in time for the Wild Bundle, we asked a selection of Hearthstone developers for their favorite card outside Standard—but like the Choose One keyword, sometimes it’s difficult to pick just one.

Dean Ayala, Lead Card Designer

Dean Ayala, Lead Card Designer, says his favorite Wild card is [[Aluneth]]: a Legendary Mage weapon that yields huge card-draw, but at the risk of burning through your whole deck.

“It requires a critical mass of synergy cards that might not exist in a limited card p...

After careful consideration of the ongoing coronavirus, we have decided to relocate Masters Tour Indonesia to Los Angeles. We decided to make this move to protect the health and safety of our players, staff and everyone involved with the Masters Tour. We’re sad we won’t be able to hold the event as originally planned, but the safety of all participants is our top priority.

To acknowledge the incredible hard work of the players that earned an invite to Masters Tour Indonesia, we are excited to hold the second Masters Tour of 2020 at NGE Studios in Los Angeles, on March 20-22. Blizzard Entertainment and NGE Studios are inviting over 300 competitors from around the world to participate, each competing for their share of more than $250,000, out of the $3,000,000 total prize purse for 2020, boosted by the Dragon Masters Bundle.

Knowing that adjusting travel plans can oftentimes be difficult, we’ll be providing up to $250 USD to all qualified competitors who need to rebook their travel t...

The battle has moved to the heart of Dalaran, where you could cut the tension with a knife. With the aerial battle resolved, the final conflict is underway, and things aren’t looking good for Arch-villain Rafaam and the League of E.V.I.L. There’s just one thing left to do.

League of E.V.I.L. Chapter: Showdown in Dalaran

Rafaam’s stronghold in his stolen flying city is under siege! You won’t let it fall, right? This is your chance to see the master plan to its final conclusion. As Rakanishu, you’ll take charge of the first battle and follow through with an expertly crafted plan of subterfuge and strategy…or just light everything you see on fire and hope for the best.

Rewards Overview:

In this chapter, you will unlock:

League of Explorers Chapter: Showdown in Dalaran

At last, the League of Explorers is within inches of retaking Dalaran! But with the threat of Galakrond’s resurrection, will there be enough time to defeat Rafaam? You’ll start off as Karl th...

Our heroes and villains had competing ambitions at Wyrmrest Temple in our last episode. Arch-villain Rafaam and his League of E.V.I.L. sought ancient knowledge at the temple to progress their ultimate plan: the resurrection of Galakrond! Meanwhile, the League of Explorers allied themselves with the dragonflights, giving them a fighting chance for the aerial assault ahead.

League of E.V.I.L. Chapter: Air Battle Over Dragonblight

Victory is at hand. Rafaam now has everything he needs to bring about the resurrection of Galakrond, and the League of E.V.I.L. must defend the skies over Dragonblight to keep the League of Explorers from meddling in his plans. In this chapter, you’ll start off as Togwaggle’s waxy ally Waxadred to help give Rafaam the time he needs to complete the ritual.

Rewards Overview:

In this chapter, you will unlock:

League of Explorers Chapter: Air Battle Over Dragonblight

It’s an all-out air battle! With the aid of the great dra...

Zakarya “xBlyzes” Hail is the champion of Masters Tour Arlington! In the second all-French finals match at a Masters Tour, xBlyzes triumphed over Romaric “AyRoK” Dubois 3-1 to take home $32,500 and the championship trophy.

The finalists entered the championship evenly matched, bringing similar decks to Arlington and each banning the other’s Rogue. While they initially traded off games, xBlyzes displayed a masterful use of Galakrond Warlock as he bested AyRoK’s Highlander Mage in the fourth game.

“I feel very, very, very, very happy,” said xBlyzes. “This was my goal, and I knew I could do it.”

After placing 156th in Las Vegas, 182nd in Seoul, and 32nd in Bucharest, xBlyzes sought to do better in 2020. “Last year wasn’t really great, so wanted at least make the Top 8.” He knew the best way to achieve his goal was to practice closely with his fellow French competitors: “I believed I could achieve a good place by trusting my friends and teammates. They are all great and I had t...

We have our Top 8 here at Masters Tour Arlington! After battling through two days of intense matches, these 8 players have topped over 250 total competitors. One of these players will take home the trophy, the title, and $32,500!

• Brian “bloodyface” Eason – 9-0
• Thomas “totosh” Vandekerckhove – 8-1
• Théo “Felkeine” Dumont – 8-1
• Zakarya “xBlyzes” Hail – 8-1
• Brian “brimful” Schneider – 8-1
• Li "TIZS" Ching-Li – 7-2
• Romaric "AyRoK" Dubois – 7-2
• Shih-Hsun "Alan870806" Chiang – 7-2

The Esports Stadium Arlington was filled with applause as bloodyface, Grandmaster and the second place finisher at the 2019 Global Finals, dominated the Swiss Rounds with 9 straight wins to secure the top seed in Masters Tour Arlington’s Top 8. While bloodyface swept his matches, he wasn’t the only Grandmaster to make the Top 8: Felkeine, who secured his spot in Grandmasters after winning Masters Tour Bucharest, claimed his top spot with an impressive 8-1 record. 

Alex Charsky, Senior Product Manager...

The first Masters Tour of 2020 will take place at Esports Stadium Arlington in Arlington, Texas from January 31-February 2! For the approximately 360 invited players there will be $250,000 in base prizing on the line, with additional prizing from the new Dragon Masters Bundle crowdfunding initiative divided between the six tournaments in accordance with the tournament rules.

Masters Tour Arlington will take place after Chapter 2 of the Galakrond’s Awakening Solo Adventure goes live, meaning that competitors will be tasked with evaluating 19 new cards entering the tavern. These cards were announced (and on the table for theory crafting) on January 21. Competitors can change their deck lists up until the tournament start time.

Not only is Masters Tour Arlington the first Masters Tour of 2020, it is also the debut of YouTube as Hearthstone Esports new broadcasting home. Fans will be able to catch all of the weekend’s exciting matches live on youtube.com/Hearthstone.

Details:

• Venue...

When we last left our heroes and villains, The Battle of the Frozen Coast brought the two leagues into battle on the shores of Northrend, leading to the capture of Reno Jackson and pandemonium at the hands of Lazul and Kriziki. Now the battle moves to Wyrmrest Temple, where the stakes are high for good and evil alike.

League of E.V.I.L. Chapter: Clash at Wyrmrest

The next phase of Arch-Villain Rafaam's scheme opens on Togwaggle, who enters the temple to seek forbidden knowledge and find the remains of Galakrond. But the League of Explorers and their allies won't let this happen without a fight.

Rewards Overview:

In this chapter, you will unlock:

League of Explorers Chapter: Clash at Wyrmrest

It's utter chaos! With the League of E.V.I.L. rampaging in Northrend, Finley seeks the aid of the dragonflights. However, just as he arrives, Finley finds some strange things afoot at Wyrmrest Temple. Madam Lazul is there enacting her own schemes, and ther...

We’re stringing the lights to kick off the Lunar New Year in style! Beginning January 29th, the tavern will celebrate with a new Tavern Brawl, themed quests, and rewards!

New Tavern Brawl: Lunar Blessings

Good fortune is coming your way this Lunar New Year! In this Tavern Brawl, you’ll start by choosing a class, and you’ll be given a random deck. Each class also has the choice between three different Blessings: buffs that will carry into your game and give you an advantage. You’ll have to choose wisely to find the right animal to best support your strategy. 

Quests and Rewards

During the event, you’ll also have the opportunity to complete eight different special themed quests, e...

The final stage of Arch-Villain Rafaam’s nefarious plan has now been set in motion – will you join the League of E.V.I.L. as an accomplice in unleashing Galakrond’s destruction, or take up arms with the League of Explorers in a final daring attempt to save the world? Experience the final epic clash from both sides of the story, including two completely different endings, in Galakrond’s Awakening!

With this update, Hearthstone’s new solo adventure is live, along with new content and balance changes for Battlegrounds (including two new Heroes!).

Galakrond’s Awakening: Chapter 1 – Live Now!

The frantic foray to reach Galakrond’s remains begins on the Frozen Coast of Northrend – jump in straight away with the free first chapter of the E.V.I.L campaign! Chapter One of the Explorers campaign, which comes with three bonus collectible cards, is available for $6.99 or 700 gold. If you’re planning to go the distance with Galakrond’s Awakening, consider picking up the full adventure fo...

Galakrond's Awakening is Live!

The final solo adventure of the Year of the Dragon is here! Chapter 1 of Galakrond’s Awakening is now live. In Galakrond’s Awakening, you’ll experience the story of Arch-Villain Rafaam’s master plan from both sides as you play through two adventures in one.

League of E.V.I.L. Chapter: Battle of the Frozen Coast

The League of E.V.I.L. has reached Northrend to put the final stage of their plan into play. Dalaran soars in the skies carrying the Plague of Undeath, and the ultimate goal is now clear. Rafaam must resurrect Galakrond if he’s to be proclaimed the villain of all villains! But the League of Explorers is right behind them, allying with the dragon aspects to stop Galakrond’s return.

In this first chapter, you’ll take control of some familiar faces from past stories, including the arakkoa Kriziki and the fortune teller Madame Lazul. There are three encounters to complete in League of E.V.I.L. Chapter 1, including a battle against the da...

Update: We’ve temporarily disabled the Road to Northrend Tavern Brawl to address gameplay issues, and swapped in Pick a Hand, Any Hand for this week's brawl. We’re working to get the Road to Northrend brawl back up and running soon.

The League of Explorers, now well-aware of Rafaam’s plan to channel the Plague of Undeath on Galakrond’s skeletal remains, must make haste to the frozen wastes of Northrend. Fortunately, the Explorers now have a mage among them who can conjure a portal. Unfortunately, that mage is Reno Jackson.

Time is of the essence, and the League of Explorers will need your help to swiftly navigate a precariously random route while Reno practices his portal accuracy. With some perseverance and luck, Reno may eventually get the Explorers to Dragonblight in time to disrupt E.V.I.L.’s sinister scheme.

The Unpredictable Journey Ahead

At the start, you’ll choose a hero from the League of Explorers, well-equipped with a powerful deck and plundered treasures from the To...

Gather your friends and get ready for the final clash of Good and E.V.I.L! The fate of the world hangs in the balance, and now it’s up to you to decide the outcome! From January 21 until February 9, party up for a Galakrond’s Awakening Fireside Gathering – tackle the new adventure together, or make it competitive and race to see who can clear a chapter first!

Hosting a Fireside Gathering

Ready to take up the mantle of Innkeeper yourself? Create an event on the Fireside Gatherings website, and be sure to visit the Innkeeper Resources page for tips and suggestions!

Receive a Support Kit

A limited number of Galakrond’s Awakening support kits will be available with special goodies to give out to your patrons! To request one for your event, set up your Fireside Gathering on the website between January 10 and January 17, and select the Galakrond’s Awakening campaign.

For this kit, the follow...