Heroes of the Storm

Heroes of the Storm
Developer(s)	Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Blizzard Entertainment
Composer(s)	Glenn Stafford Jason Hayes
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, OS X
Release date(s)	June 2, 2015
Genre(s)	Multiplayer online battle arena
Mode(s)	Multiplayer

Heroes of the Storm (HotS) is a multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment for Microsoft Windows and OS X. The game features heroes from Blizzard's franchises including Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, The Lost Vikings, and Overwatch. The game uses both free-to-play and freemium models and is supported by micropayments, which can be used to purchase heroes, visual alterations for the heroes in the game, and mounts.^[1][2] Blizzard does not call the game a "multiplayer online battle arena" or an "action real-time strategy" because they feel it is something different with a broader playstyle; they refer to it as an online "hero brawler".^[3]

The game was released on June 2, 2015.^[4]

Gameplay

Captured temple fires laser beam on red team's forts on Sky Temple map.

Heroes of the Storm exhibition Gamescom 2014

Heroes of the Storm revolves around online 5-versus-5 matches, operated through Blizzard's online gaming service Battle.net. Players can choose from three game modes, which include playing with/against computer-controlled heroes or other players. When players first start the game, they may play 6 heroes provided by the free hero rotation, a methodically selected list that changes weekly, but by using gold coins, the in-game source of wealth, or through microtransactions, they can gain permanent access to a hero. Four additional free hero slots are available to players who have reached level 15, rewarded progressively. As of November 2016, there are currently 58 heroes in the game divided into 4 separate roles: Assassin (damage dealer and attacker), Warrior (damage absorber and bruiser), Support (healer and combat augmenter) and Specialist (siege, summoner and commander).^[5] Varian Wrynn from the Warcraft universe, added in November 2016, is the first "multiclass" hero; he can be either a Warrior or Assassin depending on his talent choices.^[6] Of the currently released maps, 9 of the 12 have the standard 3 main lanes where players can fight, while the others have only two main lanes, but a separate objective-based area.^[7] Killing computer-controlled enemy/neutral units and the opposing side's heroes grants experience points, which are shared with the entire team. When a certain experience point threshold is reached for a team, every hero on that team levels up, acquiring slightly amplified powers and gaining a talent point upon reaching levels 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 20. Talent points allow players to customize and empower their hero's abilities and generally result in large increase in use, especially at levels 10, 16, and 20. This leveling system emphasizes the importance of teamwork and planning, since a player's action can affect the whole team. Players can also mount different animals, such as horses, lizards, or unicorns, to increase their movement speed, automatically dismounting when dealing/receiving damage or using an ability. Minions at neutral camps can be defeated to gain experience points, and become mercenaries that fight for the player's team. Each map has a different side-objective that will help either team and deal significant damage to the other.

Game modes

In non-draft modes, players choose their heroes in a party before entering the game or knowing what map they are playing. In draft modes, teams cannot play the same heroes as the opposing team. However, they can base their decision around the map that is announced during the draft period. Draft mode allows each team to ban two heroes each (a total of four heroes banned), removing them from the match.

• Tutorials - The tutorials are composed of three scripted 'levels' that are aimed at new players with the intent of teaching them movement, use of abilities and other basic controls. The player controls Jim Raynor, who is teleported from the StarCraft universe into the Nexus, receiving instructions from Uther Lightbringer from the Warcraft series.
• Training - A reduced XP mode where a player plays with four AI teammates against five AI opponents set at the Beginner difficulty.
• Versus A.I. - Players face off against five AI opponents. Before beginning, the player can choose to have human-controlled or AI allies. Like in StarCraft II, the AI difficulty can be chosen prior to initiating a match.
• Quick Match - This mode sets two teams of five human-controlled heroes against each other on one of the twelve maps in Player-Versus-Player style combat. These teams are selected based on the player's past performance (a somewhat hidden statistic not available in-game) to create a level playing field, as well as the roles of heroes chosen. For example, if a player queues without other party members as a Support, they are extremely unlikely to be matched with four other Support teammates.
• Unranked Draft - Draft mode. Players will get the same experience of drafting like in Hero League, but without the additional stress that coincides with ranked play. Unlike in Hero League, there is no limitation of maximum party size in this mode.
• Ranked Draft - Draft mode. There are two ranked play modes:
  • Hero League - As players compete in these matches, they will be awarded ranked points which will progress their League Rank within their community and begin to place them in more challenging match-ups. Hero League is unlocked at Player Level 30 and the player must own at least 14 heroes at level 5 or higher to participate. Player rank is expressed in the form of League Tiers and Divisions. The tiers are, in ascending order: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master, and Grand Master. League Tiers gives an idea of that player's general skill level. Each tier from Bronze through Diamond is further divided into five divisions. The lowest division within a tier is 5; division 1 is the highest. For example, a player in Platinum 1 (Platinum tier, division 1) has a higher ranking than a player in Platinum 4, and that Platinum 4 player is ranked higher than a Gold 2 player. Divisions have total 1000 ranking points each. Reaching 1000 points you will need to play promotion match, which win will move you in higher division (or next league tier if you’re in division 1 of your current tier). If your rank points drop to zero, you risk dropping down to the next lower division, and the next ranked match you play will be a demotion match. If you win your demotion match, you stay in your current place; if you lose, you drop down to the next lower division. Unlike other tiers, Master Tier is not further divided into divisions and doesn't have limit of maximum number of ranking points. The top 200 point earners in Master Tier enter the Grand Master tiers. Maximum party size in Hero League matches is 2 players and rank difference between players can't be bigger than one League Tier (Platinum player can't play Hero League in same party with Silver player). Larger groups can queue in the Quick Match (1-5 players), Unranked Draft (1-5 players) or Team League (5).^[8]
  • Team League - Players who choose to play competitively as a team can use the Team Ranked Match to be matched with other five-man teams in their region. The League Rank gained by these teams are assigned separate to the ranks gained within Hero League. Team League is unlocked at Player Level 40 and also requires ownership of a minimum of 14 heroes at level 5 or higher to participate. Player rank is expressed in the form of League Tiers and Divisions with same Bronze-Grandmaster system like in Hero League.

The first official Ranked Play season began on June 14, 2016 and ended at August 23.^[9] Each Ranked Play season is set to last for approximately 10-14 weeks.

• Heroes Brawl - Added on October 18, 2016, this game mode has three different subcategories with varying rules:
  • Arenas - Players pick one of three randomly selected Heroes and try to complete the objective. The first team to complete the objective will claim victory. The first to win two rounds wins the match. There are multiple arena maps exclusively designed for this mode.
  • Mutators - Unique mechanics change the way you play on the already familiar Battlegrounds.
  • Single-Lanes - One-lane Battlegrounds with no objectives, Mercenaries, or Hearthstone.

The rules of Heroes Brawl change every week.

• Custom Games - Often used for tournament play, players can create a lobby and make a predetermined match-up of up to five players versus five players, with the ability to choose the map, enable or disable draft mode, and add AI-controlled heroes and up to six observers.

Matchmaking

Matchmaking is based on the Elo rating system with proprietary adjustments. Players are matched against people with similar rating .

Development

As a part of the arcade feature for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, a custom map called "Blizzard DOTA" was announced alongside several other mods of Blizzard Entertainment at BlizzCon 2010.^[10] At that time, the map was developed to showcase the modding abilities that were to be added to StarCraft II.^[11] In 2011, however, development of Blizzard DOTA was rebooted and demoed at BlizzCon 2011.^[12][13] In comparison to the previous iteration previewed at BlizzCon 2010, the gameplay was described as "fast" and "streamlined."^[14][15]

Following the announcement of Dota 2 by Valve Corporation, Rob Pardo, the executive vice president of Blizzard Entertainment, expressed concern at Valve using and trademarking a name that originated from within the Warcraft III community . Following a failed trademark injunction on the part of Riot Games, Blizzard acquired Riot's subsidiary, DotA-Allstars, LLC., the original company that represented the servicing of Defense of the Ancients. Subsequently, Blizzard filed an opposition against Valve for claiming the DotA trademark.^[16] On May 11, 2012, Blizzard and Valve announced that the dispute had been settled, with Valve retaining the commercial franchising rights to the term "Dota", while Blizzard would change the name of Blizzard DOTA to Blizzard All-Stars.^[17]

In June 2012, Dustin Browder, the director of StarCraft II, stated that Blizzard All-Stars did not have a release date, but that it would definitely be after the release of StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm.^[2] In an interview in January 2013, he noted that parts of the game were "starting to feel really good", with "a really tight multiplayer experience", but that there was no way to project a timeline on it, since it was not complete enough to run a company-wide internal alpha test.^[18] In February 2013, the Activision Blizzard fourth quarter 2012 earnings report listed Blizzard All-Stars as one of the areas of continued investment for Blizzard throughout 2013.^[19] Dustin Browder commented in March 2013 that a few artists had transitioned from the StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm team, to work on Blizzard All-Stars for the time being along with the few designers on the team.^[20]

In August 2013, Blizzard president Mike Morhaime said that the game had reached a significant internal testing milestone, and was going into wider internal testing. Describing it as an "action real-time strategy" game, he said that Blizzard was looking to put their own spin on the genre and challenge some of the existing design paradigms. The Blizzard All-Stars team was expanded in May 2013, from some of the resources who were reallocated when Blizzard's Titan project was rebooted and the team downsized.^[21] On October 17, 2013, the name of the game was changed to Heroes of the Storm.^[22]

Heroes of the Storm entered a technical alpha testing phase on March 13, 2014,^[23] which went offline on September 22, 2014.^[24] The technical alpha went back online on October 7, 2014 for North America, Latin America, South East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The servers for Europe, Korea, China and Taiwan went online in the following weeks.^[25] The technical alpha continued until the beginning of the closed beta. Closed beta testing started on January 13, 2015.^[26] As of February 2015, over 9 million players had signed up for eligibility to receive an invite to beta testing.^[27] The open beta of the game began on May 19, 2015, and the full version of the game was released on June 2, 2015.^[4]

Promotions

While the game was in Alpha testing, Blizzard ran a promotion as part of the pre-order for Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, which unlocked Valla as a free hero.^[28] To mark the release of Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard had crossovers implemented between Blizzard games. Players who reached account level 12 in Heroes of the Storm received the Heroes of the Storm themed card back in Hearthstone and after winning 100 play mode matches in Hearthstone received the Hearthstone Card mount in Heroes of the Storm.^[29] Players who reached account level 20 in Heroes of the Storm received a Grave Golem battle pet in World of Warcraft and after reaching level 100 in World of Warcraft received an Ironside Dire Wolf mount in Heroes of the Storm.^[30] After the Diablo hero patch, any player who purchased Diablo III was given the Diablo hero free for a limited time; players who reach level 12 in Heroes of the Storm will receive a unique pennant and portrait frame in Diablo III and reaching level 70 Season 4 and beyond receive Malthael's Phantom mount in Heroes of the Storm.^[31] Players who purchase the StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void deluxe or collector's editions receive a Void Seeker mount in Heroes of the Storm and purchasing any edition of Legacy of the Void unlocks the Artanis hero.^[32] Players who purchase the Origins Edition of Overwatch will unlock Tracer as a free hero.^[33]

During the Nexus Challenge event (November 15, 2016 – January 4, 2017), each player who complete 15 games of Heroes of the Storm together with a Friend will get Oni Genji skin, Oni Genji Portrait and Oni Genji Spray in Overwatch and Zarya as free hero in Heroes of the Storm. After completing 30 games with Friend, player will unlock four additional heroes (Auriel, Greymane, Kerrigan, Li-Ming), Orochi Hovercycle Mount and 30 Day Stimpack in Heroes of the Storm.^[34]

Reception

Critical response

Reception
Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic 86/100[35] Review scores Publication Score Destructoid 9.5/10[36] Game Revolution [37] GameSpot 9/10[38] GamesRadar [39] IGN 6.5/10[40] PC Gamer (US) 84/100[41] Polygon 7.5/10[42] The Escapist [43]

Heroes of the Storm received generally favorable reviews upon release. Metacritic calculated an average score of 86 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews", based on 57 reviews.^[35]

GameSpot awarded it 9.0 out of 10, summarizing "A fantastic casual-competitive game that offers untold hours of enjoyment."^[38] IGN awarded it 6.5 out of 10, saying "Heroes of the Storm is a flawed, varied MOBA with terrific team fighting and poor objectives."^[40]

References

External links

• Official website

Blizzard Entertainment
Franchises	Diablo StarCraft Warcraft
Other games	Blackthorne The Death and Return of Superman Heroes of the Storm Justice League Task Force The Lost Vikings Overwatch Rock n' Roll Racing RPM Racing
Related	Activision Blizzard Battle.net Blizzard North BlizzCon Swingin' Ape Studios Activision Blizzard Studios