Is Hearthstone a game-within-game?

[BACK]
Is Hearthstone a game-within-game?
Posted On: August 25, 2023

Hearthstone's visuals suggest that the game is played in a tavern in the World of Warcraft universe on a (possibly magical) game board.


Is Hearthstone a game-within-game in WoW? When you play Hearthstone are you actually playing a character who's sitting in the tavern playing the game? Is Hearthstone mentioned in World of Warcraft?


Question from user Moyli at stackexchange.


Answer:

Since Warlords of Draenor, there have been multiple Hearthstone reference added to the game:.


You can buy items related to Hearthstone from a NPC named Benjamin Brode in your Garrison. He is named after and is a tribute to Ben Brode, the Hearthstone Senior Game Designer. You can buy from him:.


A Winning Hand (Use: Show everyone that you just won a game of Hearthstone! (2 Min Cooldown)).


The Hearthstone Board (Use: Throw down a Hearthstone board, letting everyone know you're ready to play! (3 Min Cooldown)).


There's a rare Garrison mission called Hearthstone Tournament available for your subjects which will reward you of:.


Autographed Hearthstone Card ((Use: Turn the card over to see what you got! (10 Sec Cooldown)) "Signed by Trump and Reckful. Not too shabby.").


Hearthstone Strategy Guide (Use: Teaches a follower the Hearthstone Pro trait. "Transforms an ordinary follower into a tactical genius.").


The related trait Hearthstone Pro which can only be learned with the above book and gives additional XP to your subject during the missions.


Thus, we could safely conclude that Blizzard is kind of trying to add Hearthstone to the lore of their Word of Warcraft game by implying that Hearthstone games are played mainly in Orgrimmar, Stormwind, Stranglethorn and Pandaria (out of the four boardgames currently availables).


But those are still easter eggs at their current states, as we've never actually seen NPC playing Hearthstone in the game. It seems a bit weird that the common NPC would be playing as Jaina against Thrall, using demonic and draconic entities. (But Blizzard's NPCs are always a bit off so it's a possibility nonetheless.).


It's more of an opinion-based at the moment but I'd say it would be accurate to add this in a Role Play lore or assume people are playing Hearthstone in Stormwind's inns, thanks to the easter eggs added by Blizzard.


EDIT.


Thanks to Michael Hampton for pointing that out: there's a game actually being played between Merra Finklestorm and Waina Steelpaw in front of the Shrine of the Seven Star (and probably at the Horde counterpart too). We can't talk to them but they sometimes let out things like "I need to rebuild my deck". There's probably other players in other cities too.


And as many have said, it's not stricly speaking "a game within a game" which could be played through World of Warcraft, but it is nonetheless a game that does take place within the World of Warcraft universe (which was the original question the OP asked for).


Answer from user Ananas at stackexchange.



[BACK]
Is Hearthstone a game-within-game?
Posted On: August 25, 2023

Hearthstone's visuals suggest that the game is played in a tavern in the World of Warcraft universe on a (possibly magical) game board.


Is Hearthstone a game-within-game in WoW? When you play Hearthstone are you actually playing a character who's sitting in the tavern playing the game? Is Hearthstone mentioned in World of Warcraft?


Question from user Moyli at stackexchange.


Answer:

Since Warlords of Draenor, there have been multiple Hearthstone reference added to the game:.


You can buy items related to Hearthstone from a NPC named Benjamin Brode in your Garrison. He is named after and is a tribute to Ben Brode, the Hearthstone Senior Game Designer. You can buy from him:.


A Winning Hand (Use: Show everyone that you just won a game of Hearthstone! (2 Min Cooldown)).


The Hearthstone Board (Use: Throw down a Hearthstone board, letting everyone know you're ready to play! (3 Min Cooldown)).


There's a rare Garrison mission called Hearthstone Tournament available for your subjects which will reward you of:.


Autographed Hearthstone Card ((Use: Turn the card over to see what you got! (10 Sec Cooldown)) "Signed by Trump and Reckful. Not too shabby.").


Hearthstone Strategy Guide (Use: Teaches a follower the Hearthstone Pro trait. "Transforms an ordinary follower into a tactical genius.").


The related trait Hearthstone Pro which can only be learned with the above book and gives additional XP to your subject during the missions.


Thus, we could safely conclude that Blizzard is kind of trying to add Hearthstone to the lore of their Word of Warcraft game by implying that Hearthstone games are played mainly in Orgrimmar, Stormwind, Stranglethorn and Pandaria (out of the four boardgames currently availables).


But those are still easter eggs at their current states, as we've never actually seen NPC playing Hearthstone in the game. It seems a bit weird that the common NPC would be playing as Jaina against Thrall, using demonic and draconic entities. (But Blizzard's NPCs are always a bit off so it's a possibility nonetheless.).


It's more of an opinion-based at the moment but I'd say it would be accurate to add this in a Role Play lore or assume people are playing Hearthstone in Stormwind's inns, thanks to the easter eggs added by Blizzard.


EDIT.


Thanks to Michael Hampton for pointing that out: there's a game actually being played between Merra Finklestorm and Waina Steelpaw in front of the Shrine of the Seven Star (and probably at the Horde counterpart too). We can't talk to them but they sometimes let out things like "I need to rebuild my deck". There's probably other players in other cities too.


And as many have said, it's not stricly speaking "a game within a game" which could be played through World of Warcraft, but it is nonetheless a game that does take place within the World of Warcraft universe (which was the original question the OP asked for).


Answer from user Ananas at stackexchange.



[BACK]

Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Jet Run II is impossible Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Jet Run II is impossible

Posted On: November 8, 2023
I don't get this level. I've died like 50 times jumping only once. I've looked at walkthrough videos and they all seem to be jumping in the air somehow like they have double jump or someth...[More]


How to farm large amount of studs in Lego Star Wars The Force Awakens How to farm large amount of studs in Lego Star Wars The Force Awakens

Posted On: March 25, 2023
I have been playing through Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Once you get to the end of the game most of the characters are unlocked but you need to actually "buy" them in order to use ...[More]


In Skyrim How do I unselect a completed quest? In Skyrim How do I unselect a completed quest?

Posted On: May 3, 2023
A completed quest in my journal is selected, as shown below:. This causes new quests to not be selected immediately. How can I unselect it? Clicking on the quest title does not deselect it. Q...[More]


Is it possible to prevent being ambushed by a FOE? Is it possible to prevent being ambushed by a FOE?

Posted On: April 30, 2024
FOEs, unlike regular encounters, appear on the map. They always face a direction, and if you walk into them from behind, you always get a preemptive strike. Conversely, if they want into you from behi...[More]


Am I doing this Durge thing right? About to hit act 2 Am I doing this Durge thing right? About to hit act 2

Posted On: June 24, 2025
Question from user Smiley_707 at BaldursGate3 at reddit.com.Answer:Umm… I think you may have an IRL dark urge.Answer from user TheMediumEagle at BaldursGate3 at reddit.com....[More]


Is there an easy way to distinguish suspicious blocks? Is there an easy way to distinguish suspicious blocks?

Posted On: June 14, 2023
Minecraft 1.20 version introduced two new blocks called Suspicious Sand and Suspicious Gravel, which can be brushed to discover items. Those blocks are very fragile, because you lose their loot when b...[More]


How to turn off the Hey, look at that Points! notifications from Xbox Game Bar? How to turn off the Hey, look at that Points! notifications from Xbox Game Bar?

Posted On: March 17, 2023
Every once in a while on the PC, mostly when I start playing a game but sometimes if I'm not playing anything, I get a little popup from the Xbox Game Bar that says "Hey, look at that -- Poin...[More]


How to join distant stations in OpenTTD on Android? How to join distant stations in OpenTTD on Android?

Posted On: September 19, 2023
On desktop, if the feature is enabled and you place a station with Ctrl, the game will ask you if you want to connect it to an existing station nearby. How to do this on Android version of the game...[More]


Shantae And The Seven Sirens solving the block puzzle in the Coral Mines? Shantae And The Seven Sirens solving the block puzzle in the Coral Mines?

Posted On: May 2, 2023
There is a block puzzle near the entrance of the Coral Mines with a key-shaped container. The blocks can be rearranged to form a path to the container, but I can’t figure out what do next. Ho...[More]


Anyone else doing this in Hogwarts Legacy? Anyone else doing this in Hogwarts Legacy?

Posted On: March 11, 2023
Just curious if anyone else is trying to be good and stay away from the Dark Arts. I have yet to spend any talent point in it. I never use the spells, however I did learn them. The reason behind me...[More]