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.
Yeah not buying it. This is why I have trust issues.
PS: New Deadly Shot art is absolute crap but maybe it is keeping with Blizzard's new standards just based off the last few expansions.
Kids always cry dont they
you just can't make non-sexy succubus.
I would love to work in blizzard media - I gues they have so much laugh in their work.
Yes, I bet there is a feminist version of queen Therazane sitting on a high post, kindly supporting all the fun we all like.
The problem is consistency. I dont care if they make all cards look like baby-art or keep the gore/blood/nude art. I just want consistency. You cant have baby dinosaurs on one card, blood and tits on another and then some crappy sketch-like (I'm looking at at you, kill command) on yet another.
Blizzard, however you choose to make your art, make it consistent all around!
I believe that's what they are basically saying they are trying to do. Bring all the artwork into a more consistent style with what they want.
Of course, they need to do it in stages - they'd be hard pressed to change it all in one go.
Dammit, Now I will need to find new sources for my sexy and violent content! :(
But the worst looking card is still untouched - /cough Kill Command
I feel like blizzard should leave classic set alone, they just keep making it worse.
You know what?
Screw you, Mr. Kosak. You are a liar and didnt talk any sense at all.
Blah Blah Blah
its prolly a bigger issue than they make it about how the chinese can control artwork and style to sell the game in their market.
we will see what happens but nothing good can occur
I don't honestly care about this in of itself. I think the new art mostly looks fine. But I have noticed them angling more and more towards being an all-ages company of late. I miss the old gothic devil-may-care, murder small children and make jokes about it Blizzard from the Diablo 2/StarCraft/WarCraft 3 days. They used to be so cavalier and amoral and I loved it.
Nowadays they're just so much more... safe.
We just want to assure you there's no SJW bs
and want to let you know that it's not about china
we have removed blood from eviscerate and stopped those poor tauren cow things impaled through by deadly shot we have noticed that's a good thing and helps everyone jerk off to the whimsical nature of the game
we have also removed visually voluptuous features because insert "bs" it's important that they are depicted in their true artform ways and it's important that we adhere to the netease criteria. we are working hard and well to make sure that's flows through in all work we do so all parts of the world can enjoy the blizzard standard. We want all players to feel a huge sense of pride and accomplishment as we have made such a general universally accepted game especially to our mandarin speaking foreign neighbours.
anyways how's net ease doing with the china? stay tuned to let us know PS please upgrade your phones diablo immortal is coming out so it has a new link feature to your bnet balance also it's has tap to pay with credit card these are the innovations that we keep in mind a forefront to improving the gaming community
"COUGH COUGH JARGON Disgusting corporate mouth piece"
On the one hand, I'm gonna miss some of that artwork, since I can no longer make a "HaremLock" deck.
On the other hand, they can now make a NEW succubus card that has lifesteal and is actually playable. They probably won't, but it's now a possibility.
The latest example on how SJW with their LGBT lapdogs and feminists have to take a big shit on everything. Only bright side is that people are finally getting fed up and pushing back.
Incel triggered? They did it for the Chinese market, not because of some SJW bs. Also LGBT makes no sense, gay people hate blood and boobs?
Can confirm. Am Gay. Still like boobs and blood.
Take a look around at all these games getting head hunted (Cyberpunk 2077 being the latest) and gaming companies bending the knee. In almost every case it's feminists and the LGBT community. Am not trying to be hateful towards those groups am just pointing out the facts. BTW not incel. Am married with a child and another one on the way. Sorry if the truth offends you. Typical SJW.