Earlier this year, Hearthstone‘s Knights of the Frozen Throne expansion brought the collectible card video game further into the World of Warcraft by pitting players against the infamous Lich King. However, Blizzard unveiled a different type of expansion for Hearthstone at GamesCon, and it isn’t a game at all. Instead, it’s an amazingly well-made animated short that fleshes out Hearthstone itself!

The short is called “Hearth and Home,” and follows a young girl named Ava, who finds herself transported to Harth Stonebrew’s tavern via a magical mouse and a Hearthstone box. From there, Ava gets a very warm and musical welcome from the diverse creatures and humans within the tavern, as they sing up a storm and explain the basics of Hearthstone. Even the most fearsome of species have to play by the rules of the game, despite a few tense moments near the end. It’s easy to see the influence of Beauty and the Beast and Pixar in this piece, and it could easily pass for something that was created by Disney Pictures.

Apparently this is only the first in a series of Hearthstone animated shorts and web comics that will feature Ava and the regulars at the tavern. This will allow Blizzard to expand and develop the cast of characters outside of the game, and it could potentially allow Hearthstone to become a more fully realized creation. It was already a fun franchise, but this short feels like it has opened up the Hearthstone mythology in a much grander way than any of the expansions.

What did you think about the Hearthstone: Hearth and Home animated short? Sing us your thoughts in the comment section below!

Images: Blizzard