Game:

Heroes of the Storm (2015)

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Discussion

Duration: 7:26

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#heroesofthestorm #moba #blizzardentertainment

Heroes of the Storm was supposed to be Blizzard's answer to the MOBA phenomenon that started in their own backyard. Born out of Blizzard's own Warcraft III. Watching the success of Riot's League of Legends and Valve's Dota 2 must have felt like an opportunity they let slip through their fingers. Don't get me wrong, during League's and Dota's rise, World of Warcraft was the biggest it had been raking in millions for Blizzard. Still, it's hard not to feel like food was left on the table, and Blizzard decided to dig in.
 
The development of Blizzard's MOBA had a rocky start. Originally called Blizzard Dota, it began with copyright disputes between Valve and Blizzard. Eventually, it was decided that Blizzard owned Defense of the Ancients and Valve owned Dota. Blizzard decided to rename their MOBA Blizzard All-Stars before finally landing on Heroes of the Storm. Early media attention was focused on the legal dispute. But as more critics and media got to see the game's early development, it became clear that HotS was unique and approached the MOBA scene from a different angle. The matches were shorter; there would be multiple maps, or battlegrounds, that contained distinct objects. This was a stark difference from the established MOBA formula of one map and one objective.

Further, there was a stronger focus on team play, as experience was shared between team members. There was no individual gold or item shop. The game felt more streamlined and accessible. Additionally, the game would be filled with Blizzard's iconic characters. It seemed like HotS had cast a wide net that would interest a large audience.

Heroes finally released after a lengthy alpha and beta period, and it felt like a very muted celebration. Blizzard makes big splashes when they release games, especially a new IP. But that didn't really happen with HotS. It just kind of phased out of beta. Maybe it's just because so many people had been playing before its release that it didn't feel as flashy, or perhaps it was a conscious decision. Still, it left people saying, "Is this it… ok … cool, I guess." Regardless of the lack of release splash, Blizzard had big plans with Hots, specifically their esports scene.

Blizzard threw a lot quickly and early at the HotS esports. Possibly to catch up to League and Dota. Both of which had already spent years establishing tournaments and leagues. Blizzard announced the Heroes of the Strom Global Championship Circuit, an international league that would begin months after HotS' release. The HGC would have a prize pool of 1.6 million dollars. In addition to their professional League, they would have an amateur League called Heroes of the Dorm where players would be playing for tuition money. Blizzard went as far as securing broadcasting on ESPN for their collegiate League. It was clear Blizzard was going after the MOBA esports market in a big way. Despite being late to the party, they intended to be as big a competitor in the space as Riot and Valve. If you're thinking, "This seems brave, considering HotS hadn't even been out for a full year." You're right. But if any developer could make such a bold move, it's a heavy hitter like Blizzard. And it seemed that throwing their weight behind HGC was working. The first season seemed promising, attracting big organizations like Evil Geniuses, Fanatic, and Cloud 9, who took the first grand prize. However, as big as Blizzard's splash was compared to other esports' first season, it also magnified some issues.

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