Blizzard's upcoming Warcraft-themed strategy game gets release date and charming preview trailer

(Image credit: Blizzard)

Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming Warcraft-themed strategy game Warcraft Rumble will be released on iOS and Android on November 3.

Warcraft Rumble is a free-to-play mobile strategy game that blends tower defense, RTS, and autobattler elements. The game features a long-form single-player campaign that will take players across the world of Azeroth, as well as opportunities for co-op missions, PvP, guilds, raids, and dungeons. Rumble has also received a preview video, where senior 3D artist Justine Hamer, game producer Elhora Davis, and art director Jeremy Collins talked through their vision for the title in what proved to be a charming seven-minute presentation.

Initially revealed as Warcraft Arclight Rumble, the upcoming title's name was shortened on the grounds that the original was, according to the developers, "a bit of a mouthful".

The game promises a who's who of iconic Warcraft monsters and characters, offering a nostalgic trip reminiscent of Hearthstone, Blizzard's free-to-play Warcraft-themed card game. Fan-favorite heroes such as Jaina Proudmoore, Uther the Lightbringer, and Cairne Bloodhoof will appear alongside classic monsters like Murlocs and Gnolls.

You may like

Arclight Rumble leans heavily on the classic, vibrant art style for which the Warcraft games are known, offering a blend of colors that should play wonderfully across a smartphone screen.

Those looking to pre-register and pre-order the game can do so on Google Play and the iOS App Store and will be rewarded with a range of extra cosmetics: the Mecha Kobold Skin, Mecha Kobold Portrait, Mecha Tower Skin, and Mecha Kobold Emote.

Little is known about Blizzard's plans to monetize the title. As with any free-to-play title, the California-based developer will need to walk a fine line between making the game profitable, but also fair to those less able or willing to spend money on the title.

Warcraft Rumble's November 3 release date coincides with the first day of Blizzcon in Anaheim, California - an annual convention celebrating the developer and its fanbase. The convention will host the Overwatch 2 World Cup and a grand opening ceremony, which promises "this year's biggest news and key reveals."

Looking for more brain teasers? Check out our list of the best PC strategy games and the best board games.

An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.