Hearthstone Mercenaries, New RPG-Like Mode, Coming This Year

Blizzard's plans for the coming year in Hearthstone includes a new RPG-like mode called Mercenaries. It lets you assemble a team of fan-favorite characters and level them up to unlock new powers and abilities. It's coming later this year.

The Mercenaries mode will include both PvE and PvP modes. In PvE, you'll take on a gauntlet of randomly generated encounters, which grant you loot and experience for unlocking more powerful versions of your heroes as you make your way to the final boss. In PvP, you'll come to blows with an opposing Mercenary team, and you'll each plan your next turn simultaneously--a sharp departure from the standard turn-based combat in Hearthstone.

The announcement specifically mentions Sylvanas Windrunner and Ragnaros the Firelord as examples of heroes who will be recruitable in Mercenaries. The new expansion, Forged in the Barrens, will introduce 10 legendary mercenary characters as part of a new year-long storyline, so it seems like a safe bet that they'll be involved in the new mode as well.

For more on the upcoming expansion and all of the Year of the Gryphon changes, check out everything we know about Hearthstone's 2021 plans. Blizzard had plenty to say about its other upcoming games during its annual event as well--there's new BlizzConline 2021 announcements for Diablo IV, World of Warcraft, Overwatch 2, and more.