It isn’t cool when a retailer leak blows a giant sport announcement. Simply ask Bethesda, which noticed its shock Rage 2 announcement spoiled by an errant Walmart Canada itemizing. (I guess Pete Hines continues to be steamed about that.) However you already know what is likely to be much more irritating? When your individual gear retailer does it.
That appears to be what’s occurred with the subsequent Hearthstone enlargement: As seen and captured by Hearthpwn, a t-shirt for one thing referred to as Hearthstone: Showdown within the Badlands appeared on the official Blizzard retailer not too long ago.Â
The Badlands, because the Warcraft wiki explains, is an arid, desolate area in Khaz Modan, the place “solely the hardiest of creatures can survive.” It is historically considered as Horde territory however the Alliance has a presence as nicely, nevertheless it actually would not sound like there’s a complete lot happening for both facet as a result of it is such an disagreeable place.
The leaked itemizing, which has since been taken down, would not say something in regards to the presumed new Hearthstone enlargement, however the t-shirt itself would possibly trace at what’s coming. The artwork relies on American Gothic, a really well-known, oft-parodied 1930 portray by Grant Wooden that is typically considered as a considerably grim reflection of the hard-bitten resilience of rural farmers within the American midwest—not the type of factor that might be misplaced in a Hearthstone-ified tackle the Badlands.
Following the leak, the official Hearthstone Twitter account dropped one other trace: Silhouettes of spurred boots. Coupled with the leaked t-shirt picture (do not overlook the cacti within the background of the Showdown within the Badlands brand) and it certain appears to be like like one thing themed after tales of the Previous West—the American Frontier!—is on the way in which.
I’ve reached out to Blizzard for touch upon the leak, however haven’t but acquired a reply. I strongly suspect it’s going to stay that approach till BlizzCon, which is now just some weeks away: This 12 months’s occasion returns to in-person motion on November 3 on the Anaheim Conference Middle.