Returning player experience
The returning player experience is a series of special quests and encounters designed to help players return to Hearthstone who have been away for a long time. A returning player is defined as someone who has not logged into Hearthstone for 90 consecutive days.[1]
Upon logging in, the player will be given pre-made 30-card decks which they can try out for a week before selecting one to keep.[2][3] Next, the player receives three quests, awarding catch-up card packs.
Occasionally, returning players may be gifted anywhere from 20 to 150 free card packs, which can be claimed from the Battle.net client.[4]
Structure[edit | edit source]
First, the returning player is greeted with a special message from the innkeeper, welcoming them back to the game. Then the player receives three quests, awarding catch-up card packs.
The returning player experience comprises three special quests, each awarding the player with catch-up packs. The quests are awarded one at a time, and cannot otherwise be completed.[5]
Upon arriving at the main menu, the player may be provided with a Standard format "Innkeeper's Deck" automatically assembled from the player's collection. This could have some connection to the relative number of Standard or Wild format decks the player already has saved.[6]
After one week, the player is prompted to select a class to claim their free 30-card deck.[3] This deck will take up a deck slot, provided the player has a free deck slot open. The full list of free decks is found here: Free deck for new and returning players (as of November 6, 2023). If the player previously owned cards from the new free deck, they will still get duplicates of that card from the new free deck.[7]
History[edit | edit source]
Prior to Patch 28.2.0.190416, players were guided through the Return of the Hero experience.
Background[edit | edit source]
The returning player experience is intended to encourage returning players to successfully start playing the game again. In 2017 Game Director Ben Brode stated that "Something like 25% of [returning] players came back and then left again before playing a game". However, following changes - such as the introduction of the returning player experience - this number has been significantly reduced.[8][5]
Returning players are a reason often cited for maintaining game consistency, specifically regarding changing cards or rotating sets out of Standard format. However, Ben Brode states "I don't think we've ever made a decision at the expense of current players exclusively because of returning players", adding "Part of the reason to keep them in mind is that it helps us find solutions that are good for everyone. ... We just take them into account."[9]
See also[edit | edit source]
Patch notes[edit | edit source]
Patch 24.6.0.154203 (2022-11-01):
- Instead of immediately picking a deck, players can now borrow all free decks for one week following their eligibility before making a selection.
Patch 18.0.0.54613 (2020-07-30):
- Returning players no longer need to complete the returning player experience to claim their free deck.
Patch 17.0.0.44222 (2020-03-26):
- Free decks added for new and returning players. (Decklists here).
- The initial forum post explaining the returning player experience is here: Notes on returning player experience.
Patch 6.2.0.15181 (2016-10-20): Added.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Blizzard Entertainment (July 30, 2020). 18.0 Patch Notes. Retrieved on 2020-08-01.
- ↑ 24.6 Patch Notes. (2022-11-01).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 GnomeSayin (July 25, 2023). 27.0 UPDATED FREE DECKS FOR NEW AND RETURNING PLAYERS. Blizzard forums. Retrieved on 2023-11-06.
- ↑ https://www.hearthstonetopdecks.com/returning-players-gifts-up-to-150-packs-to-get-players-back-into-hearthstone/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ben Brode on Twitter (X). (2016-10-21).
- ↑ Tested by User:jerodast between 2017-04-30 and 2017-05-08. Went through returning player experience on multiple regions. The ones where all decks had cards that had moved to Wild format had a deck made by the Innkeeper; the one where two of the decks were legal in Standard format was told "You've got some standard decks, but you can always create more in your collection." and did not have a deck made for it.
- ↑ cmdylux on reddit. (2020-03-24).
- ↑ Ben Brode on Twitter (X). (2017-01-14).
- ↑ Ben Brode on reddit. (2017-02-16).