Blizzard's Heroes of the Storm is slated for release on June 2nd, following an open beta period starting May 19. The MOBA has been in closed beta since January, with many Blizzard and MOBA fans anxiously awaiting the public release. Heroes of the Storm allows players to select from a roster of heroes taken from Blizzard's other highly successful franchises, including Starcraft and Diablo. The release announcement is following on the heels of Heroes of the Dorm, Blizzard's collegiate e-sports event which pitted college stars against each other in ranked matches. The final showdown will be on April 26, and live streamed on ESPN.
Heroes of the Storm will premier with 30 selective heroes and 7 battlegrounds, each with its own unique environment. MOBAs continue to be a popular genre with the stunning success of games like League of Legends and Dota 2. But Blizzard's attempt at it still has many excited for the prospect, and it may end up providing some stiff competition to the two MOBA giants. Heroes has been a priority for Blizzard, which has resulting in them passing over their other projects to focus on its release. Let's hope their focus paid off in the form of an awesome game. Fortunately, early reviews from people in the closed beta have been positive and reassuring. As pre-established e-sports franchises start setting up their Heroes of the Storm teams, players new to the MOBA scene can rest assured that they will be welcomed too. Heroes more team based setup with shared experience ensures no player will be stealing the spotlight, and means players must work together more than ever before. The hope is that this will prevent a toxic community that other MOBAs are infamous for.
Do you think Heroes of the Storm will be able to rival League and Dota? What do you think about the more team focused game play? Who are you most excited to play as on the roster?