In just a few hours, Blizzard's multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), Heroes of the Storm will go from technical alpha to closed beta. In a new video posted today, Blizzard's Kevin "Cloaken" Johnson walks us through the many new features beta will bring, including a new map and ranked play.
First revealed at BlizzCon, Sky Temple is a desert-themed battleground new to the closed beta. It's a massive, three-lane map "that presents opportunities for your team to control mysterious temples of power primed to blast your opponents fortifications." The beta will also offer more playable champions, including Thrall, Warchief of the Horde; reworks to currently playable champions; and new skins.
Perhaps the biggest feature in closed beta, though, is ranked play. Heroes of the Storm will offer two types of ranked experiences: Hero League, designed to target your individual skill, and Team League, designed to target the skill of a dedicated team. The beta update will introduce Hero League, while Team League will remain under development. Draft Mode will also be implemented and works similar to that of League of Legends. It leads teams through a traditional snaked pick format in which teams take turns picking and counterpicking heroes, while preventing duplicate heroes from being played in the same game. To participate in ranked play, you must be account level 30 and own at least 10 heroes. Draft Mode will also be available in custom game lobbies to support tournament play.
For more details as to what Closed Beta will offer, check out the full video walkthrough below.
Heroes of the Storm is set to enter closed beta tomorrow, Tuesday, January 13, 2015. Check out the official website for information on how to register.
