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.
This is so blatantly false it's unbelievable
We need hentai version of HS
Shadowverse
One of those generic dating simulators that is 90% dialogue and all you hear is Ben Brode's laughter 8-)
We want the original skin back !
the new one is better
artwork quality started falling since Old Gods expansion: they stopped using original artwork that was made by masters and had magnificent pictures like Alextrasza or Sylvanas. releasing so many cards each year (in normal and golden version) probably was too much and they started releasing artworks that sometimes are borderline awful.
I am surprised they talk about censorship but the overall lack of quality has not been adressed.
For those who didn't start playing in beta like me, I suggest to look at how poor cards look now and how good they were in the beginning
What are you talking about? If anything the art has only gotten better as they have been hiring more artist to do more original and specific art, instead of using just existing art from the TCG. Numerous of the artists who made art for the WOW TCG still work on hearthstone, including Glenn Rane who did the art for Sylvanas and Alex Hoarley who is one of the game's most famous and talented artists and did the art for Felstalker. Please give me some examples of cards you think have bad art.
They show too much of Thrall's chest in the new WoW cinematic. They have him without his shirt.
And Illidan has no shirt and shows his glorious abs in his Hearthstone card.
As a champion of equality, I demand they be covered up in burqas.
God forbid, they have their nipples shown, which may make gay men and straight women commit atrocities that will displease the invisible masters.
The WoW cinematic has nothing to do with Hearthstone. If you actually read Blizzard's reaction, these card changes were made to bring them in line with Hearthstone's standards, which are different from WoW's, even though they will continue to enjoy existing in the same universe.
Just wanna point out that Deadly Arsenal also has artwork from the Warcraft TCG and the difference in art style was widely noticed by the community when this card was first revealed during the Witchwood reveals. Why was this not changed as well if it was a case of consistency?
Have you or anyone for that matter seen this card being played? This must've been overlooked by the whole community, kudos for poining that out ;)
What is their standards even.. when shit art like Kill Command is still around. They just happen to touch only cards that show a bit of gore and nudity.
This is like 4kids levels of censoring that also ruined Yu-Gi-Oh for me
the arguments stated are prettu much load of crap (how is removing succubus bringing it to the standard?)
Im pretty sure they will keep on going with it, and sterilize the game to the point where it has no flavor at all. The new "class identity" strategy they posted few days back doenst add up either.
Oh no. I was already forgot but here we go again. Let's go then. I wondering how does removing few drops of blood from Evis art making "everything up to their standards"? So they fine with that art below
but cant stand few drops of blood here?
The fact of this changes doesn't make sense
And how turning two of very best arts into shit does? I mean no offense to artist, but really, how this
is even comparable to this (I didnt even find HQ version, it probably doesn't even exist)
no offense, but its crap. I can hardly tell what is going on on this art after enlarge it twice. "headcrack was too dark and hard to read" yeah of course, this one is much more readable
Same here:
New art is just bullshit. Its just mediocre on its own, but comparing to old art its just crap.
New secretkeeper and mistress of pain are just mess, I dont like this kind of art. but at least they are not ugly. Still the fact of their replacing is pure censoring. And total removing Succubus only proves it.
Surprisingly enough I like new Windfury Harpy art. I didn't really like old one. However Its pretty clear it wasn't about make it better, its still censorship.
Btw I wonder how they didn't touch my very favorite art of betrayal
So after all I want to believe, I really do. But something really doesn't fit.
Reading a little further into what Dave Kosak was saying, I believe the implication is that this is one of a series of changes they are making to bring it all into line.
So I am guessing they didn't want to change everything in one huge go but rather over a series of changes.
Your queries about things like the Whirlwind card art seem pretty understandable - one would assume that Blizzard's intention is that these will be changed over time. Perhaps. I don't know for sure - I'm speculating.
It sounds right, but it doesn't explain why some new arts are so bad. I mean, if new arts was here originally, no one really would complain. Blizzard have some pretty bad art. But they taking ones of the best arts and turning them into shit for no reason.
I might be overreacting of course, I just hate censorship of art especially. But if they replaced all of them with less aggressive/sexual, but still nice arts (like with Harpy) I would be ok with that. Annoyed with the fact of censorship, but I would accept it I guess
man, HS rating is EVERYONE, not TEEN. yall gotta grow up and reject violence and suggestive art
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/Synopsis.aspx?Certificate=33195&Title=Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Rated T for TEEN. Do some fucking research please. Here is what's allowed under the T rating:
More bullshit from Blizzard. What a surprise.