Blizzard Entertainment’s Hearthstone, a popular card-based digital collectible game, will no longer be included as an Esports medal event in the upcoming 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. The decision was announced on Thursday during the fifth co-ordination committee meeting for the 19th Asian Games.
Cancellation of Hearthstone as a quadrennial event means that the total number of eSports medal events in the continental games has now dropped to seven. The Hangzhou Asian Games organising committee shared this decision through a tweet.
As per the tweet, “The fifth Coordination Committee meeting for the 19th Asian Games held on Mar 16 announces that ‘Hearthstone’ is cancelled as the Games’ officially listed Esports medal events which is now reduced to 7 in number.”
During the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta, Hearthstone was played as a demonstration sport, and India’s Tirth Mehta had won the bronze medal in the game.
For the first time in history, esports will be an official medal event in the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou. The event will include seven games: Dota 2, League of Legends, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA, Street Fighter V, Arena of Valor, and PUBG Mobile.
Initially scheduled to be held from 10th to 25th September 2022, the Asian Games were postponed due to the prevailing COVID-19 conditions in the host country China. The event is now slated to be held from 23rd September to 8th October 2023.
Hearthstone’s removal from the medal events has disappointed the game’s fans, who were eagerly anticipating the competition. However, with the inclusion of seven other popular esports, the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games is sure to offer a thrilling and exciting experience for esports enthusiasts.
