tl;dr: free stuff is cool but doesn't add to the fun.

After the discussion about free card day, I went back to look at Brode's comment that was brought up on the show and maybe bring up a point that I think the crew mentioned but kind of glossed over.

Here is the comment left by Brode addressing daily log-in rewards in which he said he didn't think they were a good idea because it made him sad to miss a day. The part that (in my opinion) was glossed over is Brode saying that daily log-in rewards can feel tedious. Dills made the point that getting free stuff most of the time is better than not getting free stuff ever, but I think that comment (and the general discussion that followed) missed the general idea of Brode's comment.

I think Ben Brode and Team 5 realize that there are many ways in which Hearthstone is not fun, and they are trying to avoid adding more items to that list. Daily log-in rewards sound amazing in theory, but Brode is partially right in his assertion that it has the potential to make things tedious. The internet is filled with articles about people who started scheduling fun activities and are not looking forward to them anymore (including hanging out with friends, video games, and even sex). Thinking back, I know there have been a couple of games I dropped because trying to maximize log-in rewards started to feel like a job.

Every other method to get rewards in Hearthstone involve playing the game in some manner (Tavern brawl, reaching level 20, end of month rewards, quests), because they know THAT is where they'll have the best chance to give you a great experience. moving up and down the ladder isn't always fun, saving up gold/dust isn't fun, spending X amount of dollars for a duplicate legendary isn't fun, and seeing that spinning wheel after you try to close the game certainly isn't fun. The fun of the game is found right after the wheel stops at "worthy opponent" and ends right after one of the two portraits explodes.

Anyway, sorry about the rant that probably zero people will read, but the discussion on the show felt like it didn't address the spirit of the card comment.

Love love LOVE the show and I'm looking forward to the next TACO.