Hearthstonereleased 10 years ago on June 26, 2025, meaning fans are in the 10th year of the collectible card game. Blizzard and fans the world over have celebratedHearthstone’s anniversary, with many also looking toward the future of the game. That also applies to its director, Tyler Bielman.
Bielman has worked onHearthstonefor a short 15 months, but he has been a developer for 25 years. He has worked on games likeMagic: The Gathering, Gears Tactics, and more, and working on Hearthstone now is almost like a full-circle moment for him. He’s working with card games again, as he did at Wizards of the Coast, but digital games too, as he did during his stint at Xbox. Bielman’s time withHearthstonemay seem brief, but he was chosen to stand amongHearthstoneveterans for a reason. Game Rant, alongside our sister siteTheGamer, recently sat down with Bielman to discuss his vision for the future and the next 10 years ofHearthstone.
Bielman’s vision comes down to “3Fs.” That is Focus, Fearless, and Fun, and in broad strokes, Bielman wants to remain focused on the strongest elements ofHearthstone. He also wants to be fearless withHearthstone, promising fans things they’ve never seen before throughoutthe Year of Pegasus, but he also wants to ensure that fun comes first and foremost. Below are his own words on the 3Fs ofHearthstone.
The Three Fs of Hearthstone’s Future
Focus in Hearthstone
Focus is really important. One of the things that makes Hearthstone fantastic is there are so many different ways to play and engage…. I want to over-deliver for the players in the areas that are the most important. And to do that, I have to be careful about how thinly we’re spread as a team and how much we can do because we have this relentless focus on the player. We have to pick and choose a little bit on where we’re going to really focus our energies, so you’ve seen us make some moves that are reducing focus in certain areas, and then what you’re going to see is the byproduct of that of us focusing in. Something like Battlegrounds Duos was an attempt to add something to Battlegrounds, a mode that’s incredible, and what I love about it is it adds an emotional component to the game that you’ve never had before. Cooperative, assistive play, right? That’s an example of a focused effort that we can only do with a lot of the team centered on that idea and maybe not other areas. Focus is the first step.
Fearless with Hearthstone
I mentioned courage and fearlessness. I think it’s really important to take big swings. We have an unspoken contract with the player that we’re going to try some things, and we hope that they trust us and that they let us know when things don’t work. I think you’ll see in this Year of the Pegasus. I think you’re going to see some things that you never thought you’d see in Hearthstone. I’m really optimistic, not just because I think the things we’re doing are great, but I know that we will be there with players, we’re going to listen, and we’re going to react quickly. I think that gives us permission to be pretty fearless, and I think that’s important at this stage, 10 years in.
The Fun of Hearthstone
Then the fun, right? The fun is that, at the end of the day, it has to put a smile on your face. Sometimes it has to make you think, has to make you operate your cards in a way, and it has to be strategically satisfying. I talk with designers a lot about how we make tools that let people have “Aha!” moments. When you play a game of Hearthstone, you have an “Aha moment” of a solution to a board state problem, something like that, and when you’re playing it, you realize why things are there. That, to me, is fun, right? Fun is a big word. It could mean something different. Roller coasters are fun. Spinning around in circles is fun. But this fun for our players, for card game players, for strategy game players, it has a lot to do with that satisfying feeling of, “I feel smart, I feel powerful, I feel like I’m exploring, I feel like I’m expressing myself.” And if that fundamental layer of fun isn’t there, then the rest doesn’t work.
In summary, Bielman explained: “In terms of what I want the next 10 years to look like, I think we’re going to focus, we’re going to be courageous and fearless, and we’re going to continue to be focused on the fun.”
The Community’s Role in Hearthstone’s Future
As Bielman discussed his vision, his background, and the future ofHearthstone, two things stood out to me. The community has always been the heart of the game, and Bielman is clearly aware of that. He not only discussed the emotional components ofHearthstone(such as in Battlegrounds Duos), but at one point, he mentioned how it’s important that the Blizzard team, as designers, feel empathy with the players. As such, we asked how this emotional investment and empathy play a role in the game’s future.
Bielman explained that one reason he has been a game designer for 25 years and wants to be for 50 more is the experiences he gets to create as a designer. Video games are not like movies, plays, or physical sports; Bielman said, “I think of games as being experiences where we hand player tools, and what they get out of that for their time and sometimes their money is emotional and intellectual benefits.“Hearthstonemight just be a game, but the community is often able to grow intellectually thanks to its fun strategic elements, but it also offers a different type of emotional investment. PlayingHearthstoneis not like playing agame ofMonopolywith a family or playing blackjack in a casino, and understanding all of this, the time and monetary investment, and feeling empathy among the Blizzard team and with the community is key to Hearthstone. As Bielman said,
There’s a saying, I can’t remember who it is, I apologize, but it goes, “After your love, the most sacred thing you’re able to give is your labor.” I talk with people on the team about the idea that like, “Hey, you know you’re valuable. Thank you for being here, like you’re giving us your time.” And I feel the same thing about players. If you take time out of your day to come load up our launcher, load up our game, and you’re going to spend time in it, I want to make sure you’re getting the best you can out of it. I want to make sure with every release, whether it’s a Battlegrounds season, whether it’s an expansion, or whether it’s something else we might do, that we’re really giving the player the best possible experience for the time that they give us.
It remains to be seenhow the next 10 years ofHearthstonedevelop, but it’s clear that Bielman and the Blizzard team give both their love and their labor - the two most sacred things, according to Bielman’s quote - to the community. That will likely make all the difference.
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
WHERE TO PLAY
Sheathe your sword and draw your deck, it’s time for Hearthstone! You’ll sling spells, summon minions, and command the heroes of Warcraft in battles of epic strategy.Jump right in with premade decks at your disposal that can help you climb the Ranked ladder. Or create custom decks for different game modes and to battle the Innkeeper with. The game is free to play and you’re able to play on your own schedule. Hearthstone even features cross-progression so you can play on a PC, phone, or tablet and not lose any progress.There are solo adventures, too, with lots to unlock from card backs to heroes and more! Be sure to try the various game modes like Tavern Brawl that changes regularly, Battlegrounds, or the newest mode – Mercenaries!The best part is that Hearthstone features all of your favorite World of Warcraft characters from Sylvanas to Jaina and quite a few Murlocs.
