Blizzard has announced details of the first official Wild format tournament.
64 players each from three regions will be invited to compete in the Hearthstone Wild Open. Europe, America and Asia-Pacific will each send two players from their qualification tournaments to meet up with two players from China. Those eight players will play a single elimination tournament July to claim their share of $25,000.
The Wild format has been less popular than standard since its inception but Blizzard is finally looking to boost its standing with this tournament.
To reach the regional top 64 qualifier is straightforward enough: finish in the top 64 of the wild ladder this season. The event will be played online, using the conquest format with each player receiving a single ban per match. Games for the qualifier will take place between June 9 and 11. The playoffs, including the grand final, will be July 1 and 2 with specific times to be confirmed.
Both the qualifiers and the playoffs will be broadcast live by Blizzard. Full details of the casting talent can be found here.
The announcement was met with mixed reactions from ladder players. One particularly lengthy comment said the announcement was “bittersweet,” due to the timing - just a week before the end of the season. However, he added that he was “excited to see this tournament, even though there were some unfair situations for some of the players trying to compete”
