Introduction
This week Hearthstone experienced quite a bit of miscellaneous news. Some of the things directly impact players at the top end of ladder play. Some of them affect fans of Hearthstone and tournament viewers. One is specific to Twitch, but plays a large part in Hearthstone’s viewership in general. Read on to get the full scoop!
Golden Celebration card back
Hearthstone has come out with another card back, specifically for players who “Make it to a Hearthstone Championship Tour Championship”. While this will only affect the top competitors, it was still a nice reward. This goes along with many of the other small things that Blizzard is doing to promote the HCT. Hearthstone has no lack of card backs, and another may seem superfluous to some. However, this is a nice nod to those who achieve more than the Legend card back can portray. It’s nice to see Blizzard rewarding players for achievements more significant than simply hitting rank 20.
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Casting discussion
Casters have been something that Hearthstone has struggled with for a long time. Due to the plethora of tournaments and the fact that very few are Blizzard sanctioned, many amateur casters appeared. These casters often ended up being professional players who were quite good, but they don’t have the same professionalism. The fans often ask that the casters be more professional. Sometimes this means not teasing poor play, and sometimes this means not discussing what they would do differently.
Blizzard has finally taken a stance on this wildly contested issue. They made a large post regarding casting in general, and addressed several important points. First, “Casters are absolutely allowed to dispute lines of play. Hearthstone matches are often won by the slimmest of margins, and pointing out where players had the opportunity to make stronger plays is important”. This means that casters will be allowed to continue their ‘unprofessional’ critiques throughout. I believe this is good for casting as a whole, as it is far more educational to debate why the player chose his line of play. Casters who are too scared to disagree aren’t educational in the least. I’m glad Blizzard wants this atmosphere of critique to continue.
Secondly, “What we have stressed to our casters at points is the manner in which critiques are presented; we want to ensure that all players are afforded respect, and that our broadcasts reflect the upbeat and positive nature of the Hearthstone universe”. This only makes sense, be respectful in your critique. If a play isn’t optimal, explain why, don’t just call it bad.
Viewbotting
Lastly, it is believed at the moment that Twitch has discovered a way to prevent viewbotting. This means a lot for Hearthstone, as many of the biggest drama scandals have revolved around viewbotting. Massan, Ponyhoof, and others have been accused consistently of viewbotting, tearing the Hearthstone community in half. Hopefully Twitch is able to stop this practice, and the Hearthstone community will be finally rid of this.
