If you’ve been playing the game in any of its various beta forms, it may seem that Blizzard’s Heroes of the Storm has been out for some time now, but that wasn’t technically the case.
Yesterday Blizzard officially released the game, and it’s tempting to call it the “finished” version, even though games of this type are never really finished. Like most of Blizzard’s other recent games, Heroes of the Storm will continue to receive tweaks as well as new content throughout its lifetime.
“Players battled each other in over 100 million matches during testing, and we saw tons of surprising strategies and insane last-minute wins—we can’t wait to see what else players come up with now that Heroes of the Storm is officially live,” Blizzard Entertainment CEO Mike Morhaime said in the press release announcing the game’s release.
To celebrate the launch, Blizzard has rewards ready for players who jump into the game immediately. Play Heroes of the Storm within the first week and you’ll unlock a special in-game portrait. To give players a head start on seeing everything the game has to offer, experience boosts will also be in effect for the first three weeks.
Experience doesn’t affect your strength while fighting in the game’s Battlegrounds, but it does allow players to unlock new skills and different skins for their characters. Leveling up both characters and your main account also results in rewards in the form of in-game gold at set levels.
This in-game currency can be used to unlock new characters, skins, mounts, and other various boosts. Of course, this is a free-to-play game, so gold can also be purchased with real-world money.
This Saturday, June 6, Blizzard will be hosting a live steam on its YouTube channel to celebrate Heroes of the Storm going live. The event will be streamed from the YouTube studios, and will offer a sneak peek at new content.
To start playing the game yourself, head over to the official website and download the official client. The game is available for both Windows and Mac.
