Last month, hearthstone broke a long-standing precedent by selling a single cosmetic card upgrade for as much as $25 (or a comparable amount of in-game currency). Now that the power level of the expensive card is lowered, Blizzard is offering a generous refund to players who made that purchase – plus they let them keep the ultra-rare card.
Drek’Thar is an extremely popular hearthstone map since its December release alongside the Fractured in Alterac Valley set. Thanks to the card’s ability to draw two minions from your deck and summon them when thrown (if your deck is put together correctly), Drek’Thar appeared in more than 20 percent of all competitive card games this month, according to statistics. from HSReplay.net, and decks with the card won more than 60 percent of the time.
A diamond is forever
for months, hearthstone players can find a Legendary Drek’Thar in regular packs, create a copy by using in-game dust obtained from surplus cards, or earn a “free” gold copy by completing various in-game quests. However, as of April 5, Blizzard added a way to get a new version of Drek’Thar: pay $25 (or 3,000 in-game gold) to buy an ultra-rare “Diamond” upgrade.
Diamond cards were first introduced at the end of March hearthstone update as a purely cosmetic change to existing maps. The ultra-rare Diamond versions, which come with custom animations, are aimed at hardcore collectors who want to show off the rarest and most beautiful versions of their cards.
For the most part, players were able to obtain Diamond cards by completing missions on the game’s Tavern Pass reward track or by collecting full sets of other Legendary rarity cards. Drek’Thar, however, was the exception; the only way to get the Diamond version of that card was to buy it with in-game gold or cold hard cash during its April sale period.
My friend found out that Diamond Drek’Thar is already in the game. Maybe one day we can get it? pic.twitter.com/gKlWH9idWP
— guouey (@guouey) February 18, 2022
Many players weren’t happy with that sales tactic, as evidenced by a popular Reddit thread full of complaints about Blizzard’s perceived greed. “It would be one thing if you got multiple diamond cards, but for a single card it’s not even close enough to be worth USD 25,” wrote user prplehuskie13 in a representative comment.
Sorry for the nerf – got some gold
Fast forward to Thursday when Blizzard’s hearthstone update 23.2.2 lowered Drek’Thar’s in-game power level. Now, instead of summoning two extra minions, the card only summons one when rolled. The change has led to an immediate reduction in Drek’Thar’s usage and win rates, according to HSReplay.
These types of nerfs are quite common when a card becomes too dominant in the hearthstone meta game. And if they happen, Blizzard will offer affected players refunds in the form of in-game dust that can be used to craft other cards (while players also keep the newly-grained cards in their collection).
However, for players who have spent money on Diamond Drek’Thar, Blizzard is going a step further with its refund. “All players who own Diamond Drek’Thar at the time the patch goes live will automatically receive 3,000 gold when they log in as a refund,” the company wrote.
That’s enough gold to buy 30 packs of cards, which would normally cost $35 to $40 if you bought it in several bundles. And that refund is in addition to the nerfed Diamond Drek’Thar itself, which players are allowed to keep as proof of their conspicuous digital consumption.
While Blizzard stopped giving real money back to players who spent $25 for a Diamond Drek’Thar, the in-game gold is a pretty generous bonus for those who made the investment. And who knows – maybe it makes that one hearthstone whales that are even more willing to spend money on a single cosmetic card upgrade in the future.
