What is Warcraft Rumble? Blizzard’s new mobile RTS explained

Fans have waited years for Blizzard to return to their storied RTS roots, and though it is a mobile game, they have finally done so.

The release of Warcraft Rumble came as part of a raft of exciting announcements from the developer relating to the broader universe. The retail version of World of Warcraft is getting three new expansions, released sequentially as part of a more comprehensive experience known as The Worldsoul Saga.

Additionally, Cataclysm Classic will be released in the first half of 2024, expanding on the existing offering of older expansions. The last major announcement sees players enter the Season of Discovery, Blizzard’s take on the highly requested Classic+ formula.

Primarily because of those hugely significant confirmations, the information on Warcraft Rumble went slightly under the radar.

Warcraft Rumble explained

What is Warcraft Rumble about?

The first thing to note about Warcraft Rumble is that it’s clearly taking provably successful mobile formulas and inserting them into their successful notable IP. The game itself is pitched as an action strategy that takes place in the basement of the Hearthstone Tavern. It takes elements of tower defense, virtual collection, and a significant campaign, combining the three into a melange that the developer refers to as “joyful chaos.”

How do armies and miniatures work in Warcraft Rumble?

The crux of the game essentially revolves around army collection and utilization. Players are tasked with collecting leaders and soldiers, known as miniatures, to use in their armies, which they then take to the battlefield as part of the campaign or PvP. These armies are further divided into five themes or “families,” with the Alliance, Horde, Beast, Undead, and Blackrock all available as options. They all have different playstyles, and miniatures additionally fall into their own categories of Melee, Ranged, Flying, and Squad.

Players can also collect talents for their miniatures, which can buff attack or movement speed, defensive stats or attack power. These should be used in conjunction with the major abilities offered by the leader of the army, who will be a significant character from the Warcraft universe.

How does the campaign work in Warcraft Rumble?

Blizzard Entertainment

The idea behind the main campaign is to take players on a journey through central locations in Azeroth, with the encounters they face being appropriate for the lore of that area. At launch, the game features 70 levels, five per zone, with the last level in each area offering a significantly more difficult challenge than the others.

The bosses players will face in each area have different strengths and weaknesses, with some being hard counters for specific armies. This means that players will have to level a range of units to provide options that aid in progression throughout. The campaign culminates in a fight against Onyxia, though there is a heroic campaign to unlock, which offers further XP to level armies.

There are some additional options for players to enjoy once the campaign starts to wear thin. Arclight Surge is a solo feature where levels can be replayed but with a twist. This twist can vary, but examples given include map modifiers that allow Kobolds to gain levels when they mine gold, while another forces players to use a particular family of provided miniatures.

What else is in Warcraft Rumble?

Warcraft Rumble also features the game’s take on the MMO’s dungeons. These will be on a weekly rotation, with players forced to run a specific family to participate each time. Before starting each dungeon, players will select a relic that provides a buff to an individual hero, type of unit or the entire army. Each dungeon has three levels, with players able to stack three relic buffs as they progress through, in a move that will be familiar to Torghast players.

Though there have been some complaints of performance issues related to Warcraft Rumble, the core systems behind the game look to be solid. With plans to continue updating the game’s content indefinitely, it’s a nice tertiary WoW option to have while on the go.