Blizzard Entertainment has officially revealed the next expansion for its digital collectible card game, Hearthstone, titled Reign of the Black Empire, alongside the upcoming addition of a new class. The details were shared during the opening ceremony of BlizzCon 2026.
Reign of the Black Empire is slated to launch on October 20 and will place a significant emphasis on narrative, delving into a storyline set tens of thousands of years in the past during the height of the Old Gods' power in the Warcraft universe. The expansion will introduce an overhauled Journal system, which will serve as a hub for narrative vignettes and future limited-time events, including a new 2v2 mode.
Gameplay additions in Reign of the Black Empire will include new cards and a new keyword. A new minion type, Aberrations, is being introduced, with Blizzard hinting that their deaths may have an impact on the Old Gods. The new keyword, "Assemble," will allow players to combine the text from two minions onto a single card, promising extensive new deck-building and combo possibilities.
Beyond the upcoming expansion, Blizzard also announced that Hearthstone will receive its first new card class in several years in March 2027. This new class will be the Monk, originating from World of Warcraft. While the developers did not share plans for other potential classes, such as the Evoker, the Monk's introduction marks a significant expansion of Hearthstone's roster.
Hearthstone continues to operate on a free-to-play model and is available on Android, iOS, and Windows PC.