New Hearthstone Expansion Teaser – Runes (Titans? Dwarves?)

It’s no big surprise that the next Hearthstone expansion is slated to be announced soon – most likely tomorrow (June 27). The reason is that the Twist game mode needs a major patch to release, and the next major patch is 26.6. Now, it’s not guaranteed, but X.6 patches came with new expansion announcement for years now. Today Blizzard pretty much confirmed this theory by posting a teaser for the next set:

Can you figure out the clue for the next expansion? pic.twitter.com/XPnRdX22Oz

— Hearthstone (@PlayHearthstone) June 26, 2023

It’s a series of 9 runes with different letters. For now we’re waiting for smarter people than me to figure out whether they actually mean something. But what I can do instead is tell you that Runes are commonly used throughout the Warcraft lore. They are usually tied to “old” things, like Dragon aspects, ancient cults or Titans (beings who created Azeroth). It’s the last connection that looks most plausible given that the runes have a “norse” look to them.

When it comes to Titans, we have TONS of options. They have an incredibly rich lore and are loosely based on many ancient myths (with a lot of original ideas sprinkled in between), but Titan Keepers in particular have a strong connection to Norse mythology. We get to meet most of them during World of Warcraft’s March of the Lich King expansion in Northrend. They are closely tied to the Ulduar raid (and Storm Peaks in general), which was a fan-favorite and many people have asked to add it to Hearthstone. Could it finally be time? Other options include Uldaman (it’s been a while since the last desert-themed expansion) or going even grander, back to the creation of the whole Azeroth.

Dwarves also derive from the Earthen, a race shaped by Titans. That’s why similar runes are present across many old Dwarven structures. So maybe we’re going this way instead and getting a Dwarf-focused expansion? Some of the other races also have Titan-related origins (such as Gnomes), but many of them are looser and it’s mostly Dwarves who use the runic alphabet in Warcraft. This theory is supported by the fact that those particular runes from the teaser appear in the Ironforge. Screenshot from Xero:

The runes in your teaser can be found in Ironforge… ???? pic.twitter.com/m4FQJ2Ozsg

— Xero (@xerovach) June 26, 2023

Of course, it’s all just speculation and it can mean something completely different. Runes have many connections in Warcraft lore – they are even a vital part of the Death Knight mechanics! But for me the ones in the teaser look the closest to Titan runes, hence why I made those connections above. Feel free to share your ideas in the comments!