Hearthstone’s success is almost unbelievable. Originally designed as a fun and casual game, it was so well-built that a serious esports scene was instantly formed around it and quickly embraced by Blizzard. Thus, the Hearthstone stars were born, and there are plenty of those. Today, we’ll be counting down 5 of the absolute best ones – the guys who shaped competitive Hearthstone and made it what it is today.
James "Firebat" Kostesich
We would be remiss if we don’t start our list with the game’s very first Worlld Champion – the legendary Firebat.
He was absolutely crushing Hearthstone esports in the first couple of years of its existence and has stayed in the game since, streaming and giving advice, representing team Omnislash and even advising Blizzard and participating in official promotional events.
Aleksandr "Kolento" Malsh
A name synonymous with competitive Hearthstone and a hard one to miss if you’ve seen anything at all about the game. Hailing from Ukraine, Kolento is an excellent deck builder and Even player. He manages to make impossible calculations and bend the game’s rules to squeeze the absolute maximum advantage even in the toughest of situations.
Kolento has been present in most major tournaments since the game’s inception and has the titles to prove it. He has a long history with esports, not only representing Cloud9 for many years but also playing competitive World of Tanks before Hearthstone’s release.
Dima "Rdu" Radu
This pro is coming from Romania and he's a true authority when it comes to deckbuilding. His meta-bending strategies shape the way everybody plays Hearthstone, and that’s nothing to be scoffed at.
He kicked off his competitive career back in 2014 with multiple DreamHack championships and this year he’ll be competing for the World Champion trophy along with 7 of the game’s finest players.
Casper "Hunterace" Notto
This guy possesses a combination of two extraordinary features that make a champ – young age and insane mastery of the game. The Norwegian prodigy is one of the youngest Grandmasters and is widely considered to be among the game’s best players. He has multiple HCT titles and countless Top 3 placements in all major Hearthstone events.
Thijs "Thijs" Molendijk
Thijs is one of the game's most popular streamers and some of the highest earners in the game’s history. He’s been making a living a killing off Hearthstone for the past few years and has established himself as one of the most recognizable faces in esports.
If you’re watching a high-profile Hearthstone tournament, it’s more than likely that you’ll see Thijs in the Top3 as his stellar track record from the past 5 years will confirm.
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