Yo Hearthstone nerds — Blizzard absolutely nailed it! *Escape from Violet Hold* launches July 7th at exactly 10:00 a.m. PDT, but you don't have to wait that long for all this goodness because they're rolling out pre-release content starting June 30th when Patch 36.0 goes live (also at 10:00 a.m. PDT), and let me tell you — THIS EXPANSION IS A WHOLE NEW ANIMAL compared to your typical Hearthstone releases! The whole concept is inspired by the classic dungeon, with Vanessa VanCleef—daughter of our favorite Defias Brotherhood leader Edwin VanCleef herself assembles a ragtag crew of rule-breaking outlaws and hatches an audacious plan to break Dalaran's maximum-security prison right under Warden Maiev Shadowsong's nose. (And if you're thinking "Maiev is the warden who kept Illidan locked up for 10,000 years," exactly that—it ISN'T going to be easy.) But what truly excites me here are these groundbreaking mechanics: duplicate Legendaries in your deck simultaneously? That's Hogger. And Blood Doctor Thal'ena—Death Knight class Legendary with her Vampyr's Kiss Hero Power using Corpses instead of mana turns raw flesh into power, and Irida Sinseeker sends the Demon Hunter hero warps rules by sending entire decks void while giving you TWO CARDS per turn (use Lifesteal to survive Fatigue). And THEN there's Prepare—the single keyword that makes this expansion special. You drag a card onto your deck to spend mana costs it reduces significantly, then play for massive surprise effects later; Vanessa herself is the perfect embodiment of prepare mechanics! Irida Sinseeker sends entire decks into Void and gives you TWO CARDS from next turn on—and Moragg in Demon Vaults has been waiting just for chance break loose (he's an Observer demon who enjoys causing havoc by opening cells). Disguised minions lets your own opponent side board first time—so sneaky attacks or protecting cards before they go battle! And Maiev Shadowsong summons Warden initiates Lockdown locks anything down it secures buff.

Bribe mechanic also sounds genius — giving powerful effect gives your opponent small something back, deal is sometimes better way forward than brute force for obstacles. Pre-order options include multiple bundles: Pre-Purchase Bundle and Mega (80 Escape from Violet Hold Packs + 10 Golden packs includes both Random Signature Legendary cards plus Tavern Tickets to enter Arena), unlock option purchase pre-purchased Moragg Diamond legendary card available until expansion launches on July seventh day at same time!

I'm also SO pumped about the pre-release content. Log in now through today and claim Vanessa THE RINGLEADER for free as your starter hero—and I'd start planning your escape with Prepare immediately because she's built exactly this kind breakout mastermind who rebuilt Defias Brotherhood after Edwin VanCleef disappeared. You'll get three additional cards from events: Tunneling Geomancer Commissary Crook (both Prepare) and Deadly Bribe plus access to Escape the Hold which means you build deck using only escape-from-violet hold-card with any other class together one whole-deck format! No-class restrictions AND no-Rune-restrictions-in-tavern-brawl-pre-release. The Discover pool includes both Standard & new expansion cards (trial copies given away temporarily). And if I can sneak this past y'all: the tavern brawl starts June 30 at ten am PDT on patch thirty-six-point-zero and runs until July seventh day also ends when expansion goes live then removed from game after that date.

Source: https://hearthstone.blizzard.com/news/24276664#new_tab
Also see: [Cinematic trailer](https://hearthstone.blizzard.com/)