The Great Dark Beyond Hearthstone expansion release date is November 5

The next Hearthstone expansion, The Great Dark Beyond, is releasing on November 5, 2024.

We’ve had a couple of expansions launch in November, but both towards the middle of the month; an early November launch is unusual. We’ll have to wait to see if Blizzard plans to move its release schedule up or this is simply an odd expansion out, but for now we have a new expansion to talk about.

The Great Dark Beyond features

In The Great Dark Beyond, the Draenei are adventuring through the cosmos in search of a new home, and you’re here to help. The expansion will feature 145 new cards, including a new sci-fi themed keyword: Starship, in which you collect Starship Pieces minions, like Arkonite Defense Crystal or Starlight Reactor. When these minions die, their stats and effects are added to your Starship, which you can summon at any time for five mana. In addition to Starship, the Spellburst keyword is making a comeback, providing an extra effect from the first spell you cast after you play the card.

Since it’s a Draenei-themed expansion, we’re getting new Draenei minions, which have a powerful reaction with the new Velen, Leader of the Exiled neutral legendary. Velen is a 7/7 with Taunt who will trigger the Battlecries and Deathrattles of all other Draenei you’ve played this game. At a cost of just seven mana, this will certainly make Draenei decks popular, particularly for classes with ways to duplicate cards or return them to their hands to play again. Perhaps Velen will become the next Shudderwock.

The expansion will also have plenty of demons, including a new Archimonde Warlock legendary that will summon every demon you’ve played in this game that didn’t start in your deck.

The Great Dark Beyond pre-orders

You can pre-order The Great Dark Beyond now, with the typical pair of pre-order bundles:

• The Great Dark Beyond Mega Bundle includes 80 card packs, 10 Golden card packs, 1 random Signature Legendary card, 1 random Golden Legendary card, 6 Tavern Tickets, and the Prophet Velen Card Back and Priest Hero Skin
• The Great Dark Beyond Bundle includes 60 card packs, 2 random Legendary cards, and the Prophet Velen Card Back.

The Great Dark Beyond freebies

If you log on now, you can get a free legendary from The Great Dark Beyond: Nexus-Prince Shaffar. Shaffar is a 3/3 neutral legendary with the Spellburst effect to give a minion in your hand +3/+3 and a copy of its Spellburst effect. For just three mana, this card provides great value.

There will also be a Pre-Release Tavern Brawl from October 29 November 5. It appears to have a Brawliseum-style tournament format with an entry fee (though the first entry is free), which dulls our enthusiasm a little. However, if you dive into the Brawl and win, you’ll earn more The Great Dark Beyond packs.