A couple of people had spent more (and I still have yet to lay down any money at all, as part of an ongoing experiment to see just how far I can get without). "The gates are open!" "Well met!" "Oooh, if you're sure!" We didn't have a fire to sit beside, but the warmth of camaraderie was unmistakable.Īlmost everyone had spent a small amount of real-world cash on the game, with £10 about the average. We also shared (and, let's be honest, acted out) our favourite catchphrases from the game's vast library, the little-spoken soundbites that cards spout when you place them into play. Like when someone top-decked the legendary 15-health-restoring Alexstraza while both they and their opponent were on one point of health, then won. Everyone there - a good mix of ages and occupations, considering - got to take on everyone else, but Blizzard's addition of the card back reward meant that play was always light-hearted, as people helped each other to unlock the design in their own game.īetween drops in the public WiFi, we swapped stories of playing online at home, particularly the games we almost won and the times we unexpectedly stole victory. Meeting at the South Bank's Royal Festival Hall meant our group had the space and free WiFi to log on fairly easily. What tactics did other people use? How much real-world money had they spent on the game? Did everyone else hate Priests as much as me? (Yes, thankfully they did.) Everyone agreed they clicked on the game board elements obsessively. I was curious to talk to other people who were playing one of my recent gaming obsessions, fans who didn't come from my usual group of friends playing at lunchtimes in the office. I certainly didn't feel manipulated when I went to a Fireside Gathering in London last week - and I wasn't just there for the card back, either. If I'm being cynical, Fireside Gatherings and the card back are also blunt tools to boost word-of-mouth, but I don't need much encouragement to tell people how much I like Hearthstone at the best of times, so I'll let it go. There's even a small in-game reward - a unique card back design for those who take part, a token from Blizzard for taking your hobby out on the road. Called Fireside Gatherings, these Hearthstone socials bring people together in coffee shops or public spaces where multiple players can connect using the same wireless network, and they are officially sanctioned. Take too long to act and you generally get a "Greetings!" to hurry you along, while the intent behind "Sorry" and "Thanks" is nakedly hostile.īlizzard has obviously noticed this, because it has started to encourage real-world meet-ups. You can't really talk to other players that much, and the system of canned emotes - conceived to limit griefing - has already been subverted by sarcasm. Hearthstone is fantastic as a quick, anonymous multiplayer game, where you can always find a never-ending line-up of worthy opponents ready to do battle, but strangely for a game set in a bustling Warcraft tavern - not to mention one of the most popular attractions on Twitch - it's not actually that social.
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