Year of the Dragon

**Year of the Dragon or 2019** would be the next HS year in line to be utter shit in the recent downwards spiral the game had engaged in. Without Odd or Even decks, DKs, quests or cards from Donais's failed abortion, most people were holding their breath in uncertainty about how Blizzard and the community would be able to turn such favorable circumstances into cancer. Then... nothing bad happened.

Instead, Blizzard turned on "Good Developer Mode", and spearheaded the Hearthstone Renaissance at full speed. The community was delighted, the money was coming in again, and Hearthstun is having trouble to document shitty things due to their sudden shortage. What a time it was to be alive.

## Chronology

### Odd and Even decks no more

That's right, Blizzard decided to start the year mercifully by rotating two retard-exclusive archetypes 1 year early. This was not the best course of action, but it is still hilarious to see fanboys struggle to admit that they are glad Baku and Genn are gone after fervently defending them for months.

### Rise of Shadows

Out with the old cancer, in with the new. RoS launched in April, just as Standard was left defenseless against aggro. It didn't help that this expansion's Cancer Card Dump was replenished with aggressive cards that were obviously going to see play. Blizzard couldn't possibly tell what was going to happen next... Still, even the most cancerous Bomb Warrior pales in comparison to the tamest Genn or Baku deck from the year before.

### Rogue gets gutted

Blizzard decided that Rogue was getting too strong and thus devoted a whole patch to butchering the class. Not only did this trigger Roguefags beyond belief (which in itself is lulzy enough), but it also temporarily "fixed" the meta.

### Buffs?!

That's fucking right, you little bitch. Blizzard went back on their word and decided to buff unplayable filler cards on everyone's ass! Where's your god now? Previously shit-tier cards are now seeing play, and a terrible, awful new cancer that should have never been unleashed is now raping everyone. Alas, such is the price for progress.

### Saviors of Uldum

Up next, Blizzard brought back the greatest expansion of all time. All we could have done was hope for the best, and what we got was decent enough for most people to not get pissy. Good for them!

### The Blitzchung Controversy

Well, so ended the Hearthstone Renaissance. Saltlords were reawakened, fanboys lost their faith, and even non-HStoners protested against Blizzard's clusterfuck. Even Out of Cards protested against President Xi and his California lackeys. Alas, all good things must end.

### Battlegrounds is launched in open beta

Blizzard whips out a whole new game mode to shut up its anti-China opponents. The mode *was* pretty fun, even if it had some glaring issues. Little did everyone know, Battlegrounds would set in motion a second HS Renaissance in the near future.

### Descent of Dragons

The year's last expansion. Blizzard is shaken, but not beaten. Can they recover? Would 2019 end with a bang, or a whimper? At first glance, things looked pretty strong as far as the expansion is concerned. We could only guess whether we would get another Un'Goro or another Gadgetzan... Things were, once again, alright. Hearthstone toned down its own cancer, and 2019 would be forever remembered as a great year for the game's health.