Inside Battle.net: Meet the sound team behind Hearthstone’s harmonic design
Every other month, we sit down with one studio to explore how the passionate people behind our games work to craft legendary entertainment experiences for millions of players on Battle.net.
A jaunty guitar riff, the gentle hum of conversation, and a hearty voice that beckons you back like an old friend. Each visitor that crosses the threshold of Hearthstone’s Tavern is greeted by this sequence of sounds, an arrangement that was composed with “attention and love” by the game’s talented sound crew, says Principal Sound Designer Andy Brock.
The team sits packed into Zoom’s video grid, a gallery of faces flanked by instruments, soundproofing panels, and an array of Hearthstone-themed backdrops. Their conversation flows with the comfortable ease of a chat amongst friends. “We all complement each other as designers,” continues Brock. “We’re all in sync—how everyone works with each other and how we approach our design.”
That synergy is fundamental to their daily work. Each team member is responsible for shaping the different parts that comprise the whole of Hearthstone’s audio identity—something that has grown exponentially in the last two expansions with the release of a new class in March of the Lich King and a music-heavy experience in Festival of Legends.
We caught up with the team to talk about their latest releases, how they jam during the design process, and the sick concoctions they’ve created in their endeavors to capture the perfect spell sounds.
Brian Farr, Sound Supervisor: I started out playing music professionally full-time in various rock bands. During that time, I began recording and producing music, primarily contemporary rock. However, I always had a passion for video games. I eventually got a job at Blizzard as
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