Hearthstone Knights of the Frozen Throne expansion announced

The team at Blizzard announced a new expansion at the Hearthstone Championship Tour in Shanghai, this one entitled Knights of the Frozen Throne.  Bringing with it a new stack of 135 cards, this expansion will also include some additional single-player content, including a prologue, three boss fights, and a final boss to cap things off, netting players free Knights of the Frozen Thrones card packs in the process.

Also introduced in the new expansion are a few new twists on the formula.  First and foremost is a new keyword named “lifesteal”, healing the player when any damage is dealt to enemy combatants or the opposing player.  That should be a game changer.  Let’s dig into the official word and see what else is in store for us:

In Knights of the Frozen Throne, players storm Icecrown Citadel, the Lich King’s frozen fortress, in pursuit of the forbidden might of runic magic. Rumor has it the Lich King seeks champions to imbue with the icy essence of undeath: players will soon receive his favor in the form of nine new legendary Hero Cards that, when played, transform Hearthstone’s heroes into fearsome Death Knights, granting frost-rimed armor and modified powers. The Lich King has also decided to bestow players with a new power from beyond the grave: “Lifesteal,” a chilling new keyword, heals players for damage dealt.

Those not content with merely serving at the Lich King’s behest can challenge him directly in a series of free missions that Knights of the Frozen Throne will offer to all players. Step into Icecrown Citadel in the prologue mission, then venture through the citadel’s two wings as you fight iconic bosses like Professor Putricide and Sindragosa on your way to a final epic showdown against The Lich King himself. After completing the prologue mission, players will receive a random legendary Death Knight Hero Card.

You can get a closer look at the expansion at the official site, or via the trailer above, featuring Blizzard’s usual incredible cinematics.   Look for our upcoming interview with the developers very soon, and expect our continued coverage as the expansion ships this August.