Hearthstone no longer part of esports selection at the 19th Asian Games

Hearthstone, the popular digital collectable card game, will no longer be a part of the esports titles in the 19th Asian Games. The forthcoming Asiad, which will feature esports as a medal event for the first time, is set to take place in Hangzhou, China from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8, 2023.

Why did Hearthstone get removed from 19th Asian Games?

Hearthstone was one of eight titles selected for esports at the 19th Asian Games. Unfortunately for fans, the official Twitter account of the multi-sporting event announced today that the game has been cancelled from the “officially listed esports medal events.”

While the tweet didn’t specify an exact reason, it was likely due to the recent suspension of games by Blizzard in China. If you are unaware, Blizzard Entertainment (developer of Hearthstone) and Chinese tech giant NetEase ended their 14-year-old partnership earlier this year.

The partnership saw NetEase publish and operate games by Blizzard Entertainment in the country. However, in November 2022, the two companies announced that the deal was ending. As a result, Blizzard games were indefinitely suspended on Jan. 23, 2023.

Both companies blamed eachother for the fall of the deal, but the people who suffered were the gamers in China. Players who devoted hours to games like Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and more will have their progress wiped.

Blizzard even said that it was a “pity” NetEase wasn’t extending a deal for another six months as the company attempted to find another partner in China. The company stated that the games’ unavailability is merely a suspension. It’s unlikely, though, that they will be brought back anytime soon. This is because the titles will likely have to undergo China’s tough approval process for games again when they are re-published. This sometimes takes a lot of time.

Thus, with Hearthstone being unavailable in China and no return date in sight, it’s not surprising to see Hearthstone being removed from the 19th Asian Games.

Everything about esports in the 19th Asian Games

The 19th Asian Games in China will be the first Asiad to feature esports as a medal event. With the cancellation of Hearthstone, the games in the event are as follows:

• PUBG Mobile (Asian Games version)