An Open Letter to the Hearthstone Developers
Dear Hearthstone Developers,
I’m a long-time Warcraft fan since 2007 and a true Hearthstone veteran since its release in 2014. Over the years, I’ve experienced many ups and downs with the game, witnessing its various stages of development.
Lately, despite the success of the latest expansion and mini-set, I’m deeply concerned about the direction the game is heading. It feels like Hearthstone is drifting away from what made it unique and engaging.
Here are some issues that, in my opinion, require immediate attention:
- Power Creep: New cards are often significantly stronger than older ones, which devalues previous expansions and forces players to constantly update their decks. This leads to many interesting and original decks becoming uncompetitive.
- OTK (One Turn Kill) Decks: Decks capable of killing the hero in a single turn, dealing 30+ damage, make the game non-interactive and frustrating. The player simply has no chance to respond to such an attack.
- Mana Cheat: Cards that allow for mana advantage, such as Shadowstep, enable the abuse of certain cards and combinations, disrupting the game’s balance.
- Unlimited Resources: Some decks have the ability to replenish their resources infinitely or in large quantities, leading to drawn-out games and diminishing the importance of decision-making. A prime example is the current combo with Photographer, which would be fixed if the Photograph could only be used once per game.
- Cards with Unique Impact: Certain cards, like the current Kil’jaeden and Wheel of Death, have a unique impact on the game that the player cannot react to.
Proposed Solutions - Reduce Mana Cheat: Introduce limitations on the use of cards that grant mana advantage, or modify their effects.
- Balance OTK Decks: Change the cards used in OTK decks so they cannot deal more than 20-23 damage in a single turn.
- Address Unlimited Resources: Modify resource replenishment cards to prevent infinite accumulation.
- Avoid Cards with Unique Impact: Future game design should avoid creating cards with such a unique impact that the player cannot react to them.
I believe these changes will help make Hearthstone a more balanced, engaging, and interactive game.
Thank you for your time and consideration!