Hearthstone just revealed its esports plans for 2022. Going into the new year, Hearthstone esports will have its final year of Grandmasters alongside updates to the Masters Tours and World Championship tournaments. Battlegrounds: Lobby Legends events will also happen in the new year.
Final year of Hearthstone Grandmasters
Hearthstone Grandmasters will conclude in 2022 with two final seasons. The first season will run between February and March and involve 48 Grandmasters duking it out against each other in a span of four weeks. The winner of each region will advance to the 2022 Hearthstone World Championship. The top four players of each region from Season 1 will head into Season 2.
As for Season 2, Hearthstone Grandmasters: Last Call will showcase the top regional players of Season 1. These competitors will be joined by the top four players with the most Masters Tour Points accumulated via the last three Masters Tours of 2021 and the first three of 2022. A singular group of 16 players from the combined global region will duel for a spot in the World Championship.
More information about the Season 1 format will be revealed in February.
2022 Hearthstone World Championship
Meanwhile, the 2022 Hearthstone World Championship will feature 16 players. A prize pool of $500,000 will be on the line alongside a place in the Hall of Champions. Grandmasters events will no longer be the only way to get an invitation to the World Championship.
Throughout 2022, four Grandmasters will advance to the World Championship alongside four players from China and eight players from the Masters Tour and Season Championship tournaments.
Hearthstone Masters Tour updates
Hearthstone Masters Tour events will change in terms of how invitations are given out. The 2022 Masters Tours Qualifiers will be reduced to 60 players per event. These tournaments will also be played across three weekends. Meanwhile, invitations for ladder players will increase to 150 per Masters Tour.
Competitors should also note that all six Masters Tours events will go toward one of two seasonal championships. The first three Masters Tours will feed into the Masters Summer Championship, while the next three will feed into the Masters Fall Championship.
Each of these championship events will showcase the top 16 competitors from their respective Masters Tours events. This means each tournament’s winner and the top 13 players with the most match wins across three events will earn a place in a seasonal championship event.
In terms of what’s at stake, a prize pool of $50,000 per event will be on the line. This will be in addition to invitations to the Hearthstone World Championship. The top four players of each seasonal championship will also advance.
There will be several ways to get an invitation to the first Hearthstone Masters Tour of 2022, which will take place between Feb. 18-20:
- Win one of 60 online Masters Qualifiers between Jan. 7-23 on Battlefy
- Have a Top 50-win rate over 10 Qualifiers without winning
- Top 32 finishers at Masters Tour Undercity that don’t already have an invite
- Place Top 50 Legend on ladder in January within Americas, Asia-Pacific or Europe
- Be a Hearthstone Grandmaster
While all of the Hearthstone Masters Tours of 2022 will be held online, Blizzard will also target in-person events for the Masters Fall Championship and World Championship. The final decision will be determined based on the health, safety and well-being of those involved with the tournaments.
Battlegrounds: Lobby Legends
The final Hearthstone esports update for 2022 is Hearthstone Battlegrounds: Lobby Legends, which will debut in the new year. A share of the $500,000 prize pool across multiple events will be at stake.
Each Battlegrounds: Lobby Legends event will be global, showcasing players from the ladder in every region. The first day will involve a group play stage followed by playoffs on the second day.
