Since the release of Hearthstone, the ability to play with every card from every set was a main part of the game.
Soon Blizzard will be changing the way that all works. Introducing The New Standard, the only cards available in the pool will be those from this current calendar year, and the previous calendar year. A similar model is used in Magic the Gathering, with a rotation of sets keeping the cards fresh and the playstyle varying.
Standard will only be available for Friendly Challenges, Ranked, and Casual Play. Those who play Solo Play, Adventure, and Arena will not be effected by the changes.
Wild is the name for the Hearthstone you already know and love. With each new set released, the cards will be added to the Wild format, but none will be taken out.
For Ranked play, you will have two separate ranks to level up. The ranks will be for both Standard and Wild format. For those with deck concerns, you can have up to 18 decks now once you’ve unlocked all 9 heroes. Deck slots will also have to be unlocked separately. This doubles the amount of decks that you can hold, giving you 9 decks for both formats, or any combination you prefer.
When they first start the Standard format, which releases later this year, you’ll be able to use cards from the following sets.
- Basic
- Classic
- Blackrock Mountain
- The Grand Tournament
- The League of Explorers
- The Spring 2016 Expansion
Following the release of the new set, the cards that weren’t released the previous year will be rotated out.
You can find complete details here.