Following the critical response to the recent card art changes (review our Patch 14.6 coverage here), Blizzard has spoken with a journalist from Kotaku in order to bring more clarity to the situation:
Quote from BlizzardThe recent changes were applied to make those cards more visually cohesive and consistent with the art style of Hearthstone today. When Hearthstone first launched, we brought in a lot of artwork from the physical World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. In the years since, Hearthstone has developed a look, feel, and personality of its own that distinguishes it from that of Warcraft — though we still love being a part of that universe. We’ll always be looking for ways to deliver on the game’s unique style, charm, and personality.
(Lead Mission Designer) Dave Kosak also spoke with PC Gamer to discuss his views on the reasons for the changes:
Quote from PC GamerBlizzard made changes to the artwork on eight Hearthstone cards yesterday (and changed the names of two of them), and the reaction was not entirely positive. Multiple posters in this Reddit thread, for instance, speculate that the sex and violence was dialed back in order to be in line with Chinese regulations. That would not be unprecedented: China's gaming market is heavily censored, and Blizzard has previously made changes to World of Warcraft visuals in order to comply with regulations.In this case, however, China had nothing to do with it. Lead mission designer Dave Kosak told us that after reviewing the full Hearthstone set, Blizzard decided that the art on some of the cards simply didn't meet its standards, and that Blizzard "wouldn't print those same cards today."
Quote fromWe went back and really just brought everything up to our standards. It wasn't because we were looking at ratings, or international [regulations], or anything like that. We really just wanted our artists to feel good about everything in the set.Succubus underwent the most complete transformation: The stats and effect are the same, but the sexy cruel demons who "slake their lust with coupling" are out, and pack-hunting "demonic beasts" are in. Mistress of Pain (now Queen of Pain), Secretkeeper, and Windfury Harpy have also had the sexy factor dialed back, while Bite, Eviscerate, and Deadly Shot are now less graphically violent.
Kosak confirmed that some of the changes were aimed at toning down the portrayals of sex and violence in the game (although designer Liv Breeden noted that one card, Headcrack, was updated because it was just too dark and hard to read) but emphasized:
Quote from[...The decision was driven not by external forces] but just kind of bringing it up to the standards we felt really good about today.
they did it for the chinese market. ah yes such as they changed the skeleton knight for only asian servers. If they want to appease chinese why they don't just allow players to use one of the 2 arts. The old ones are already in the game, why they need to be removed? if 1 player has 1 art and other player has other art, they see only the art they have chosen to see.
"In the years since, Hearthstone has developed a look, feel, and personality of its own that distinguishes it from that of Warcraft — though we still love being a part of that universe. We’ll always be looking for ways to deliver on the game’s unique style, charm, and personality."
Queen of Pain is Dreadlord Jaina from HOTS. So much of uniqueness lol
man im sick of this SJW bullshit. its freaking hearthstone.
i mean come on anyone who sets a demonic female on par with real life women has other major issues, changing a cardart won't make them think differently LOL
kinda funny ... in a few days everyone will have forgotten these changes, and will still continue playing HS. People complaining about these changes are a real plague in this game, it's their fault if turns always go to rope, STOP SPENDING 10 MINS A TURN WATCHING ARTWORKS !!!!
I don't care if they feel good about it, we don't feel good about it.
To be honest, so fucking what? The card effects are still the same and these changes didn't change the game.
That very same argument can be use both for and against the latest change ^^
I mean... you say this but this opens up a slippery slope. For example, why bother with card arts or card visual effects if the mechanical aspect of the card itself remains unchanged?
Then you wouldn't mind playing the game with only text as your prompt and input since art does not matter, the game is still the same
So they're basically making everyone in the community angry while catering to exactly zero people at the same time? Nice.
I’m really getting sick and tired of this shit. This isn’t the Blizzard I once loved. Seriously why do they hate the human body so much and want anything considered sexy covered up? Their excuse was bull shit too. If it were about updating old ugly cards it wouldn’t have been only the sexy and violent cards being changed. What a crock. Glad Blizz listens to the people who wouldn’t ever play HS to begin with
That is som major bullshit right there.
They removed succubus altogether, that's not an art change it's "we wanna think about the sjw children" for the sake of political correctness. Succubi are part of warcraft lore, and they shouldn't be removed.
I'm ok wiht Fellbeast being included, but not as a replacement!
Once again, blizzard seems to be really out of touch with the community.
SecretKeeper was one of my favorite art, now it's gone~~~
Blizzard, return her back!
Meh.
If you look at all the cards it does make sense and brings the changed ones in line with the rest. People are acting as if they changed every card there is to sesame street characters. There are thousands of cards. They changed less than 10. Boob and skin and violent acts are still very represented.
Gotta love the conspiracy theories going on.
Am I the only one who really doesn’t care about artwork changes...None of these cards are even played competitively...im so confused by the harsh community response