As an online card game, Hearthstone does its best to remove most of the human interaction. There’s an opinion piece on Polygon about how the lack of chat options makes for a better game. That will all change on 26 April, when Blizzard hosts Fireside Gathering; which are events for Hearthstone players to meet up and play the game in the real world.
Celebrating the launch of Hearthstone on the iPad, Blizzard is trying to get people to play the game in public. While the developer itself is only hosting a handful of these gatherings, it is encouraging individuals to get their own events going. There are instructions on how to organise a Fireside Gathering, and downloadable posters to help the effort.
As additional incentive for players to attend a Fireside Gathering, Blizzard is also providing special alternative card backs to those who participate. There are conditions for getting the new card back, and it will only be available for a limited time; although there is no news on how long the time period will be.
[Source: Blizzard]
