A new edition to the tournament lineup at this DreamHack Summer is of course Hearthstone. Quickly rising to be one of the most popular tournaments at the event, crowds equivalent in size to StarCraft 2’s are already gathering.
A game that’s easy to pick up, but very difficult to master, proves to be a quick road to eSports success. Drawing from a pool of eSports personalities and card game enthusiasts, the Hearthstone player and spectator bases have grown exponentially since beta.
DreamHack is certainly doing its part in promoting Hearthstone by bringing in a team of eSports veterans to keep the audience hooked. Veterans Artosis, ChanmanV and SeltzerPlease, with the addition of the lesser known ThatsAdmirable hold down the fort on camera, while Dutchman A-Spec pulls the strings backstage.
The true test of course, is the test of time. Hearthstone will have to prove it also has longevity to be a true success story. With how quickly new card decks spread, and how inexpensive and easy cards are to unlock, the formula definitely differs from traditional card games like Magic The Gathering.
Whether Hearthstone manages to hold its ground in the long run, or falls flat, time will tell. But for now, at DreamHack, we have one hell of a tournament to enjoy!
You can watch the DreamHack Viagame Hearthstone tournament at http://www.viagame.com/channels/hearthstone-championship/
Be sure to check out the Dutch hope ThijsNL who just knocked the infamous Gnimsh into the losers bracket, qualifying himself for the quarter finals.
