World of Warcraft , StarCraft , Overwatch , Hearthstone —developer Blizzard Entertainment has been responsible for a string of actively supported esports titles. However, one name is consistently left off of the list when describing Blizzard’s impressive gaming and esports legacy.

Despite its popularity and passionate fanbase, Heroes of the Storm (HOTS) has struggled to crawl out of the shadow of its genre-defining competitors. That being said, Blizzard has created a stable esports structure surrounding the game, which draws in thousands of viewers each year for its championship event at BlizzCon.

Breaking the mold of the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre, Heroes of the Storm has carved out a niche within esports, due to a potent combination of fan service and unique gameplay.

What is Heroes of the Storm?

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]MOBAs pit two teams of players against one another to fight for control of a battlefield.[/perfectpullquote]

The popularity of the franchises mentioned above has given Blizzard a wealth of beloved characters. So, when the company decided to dip its toe into the MOBA market, it chose to follow the Super Smash Bros. model—taking characters from across all of its IPs and throwing them together into a single game.

Today, the MOBA genre is dominated by esports juggernauts League of Legends and Dota 2 , but it actually originated in a custom game mode within Blizzard’s own 2002 game, Warcraft III. MOBAs pit two teams of players against one another to fight for control of a battlefield, claiming victory by destroying the opponent’s base. This is accomplished by each player taking control of an individual character and powering up their hero by accomplishing various objectives on the map: killing monsters, destroying enemy structures, and defeating enemy heroes.

When HOTS debuted in 2015, League of Legends was already two years into its professional esports league system. The MOBA genre was arguably saturated with popular titles and failed releases, so Blizzard had to find a way to set its game apart.

What Makes HOTS Different?

Blizzard Entertainment is famous for coming late, refining the things that make a genre great, and creating the gold standard by which that genre should be judged. This process happened again and again with StarCraft, World of Warcraft, and Hearthstone. So, when the company targeted the MOBA genre, it leaned hard on this practice. In fact, Blizzard initially avoided even calling Heroes of the Storm a MOBA, preferring the term “team brawler”.

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There are a number of key differences between HOTS and its competitors. In every other popular MOBA, the only way to win the game is to walk your characters into the opponent’s base, and essentially click until it blows up. While this is achievable in Heroes of the Storm, the game encourages teams to use specific map objectives to destroy their enemy’s base, rather than doing it themselves.

Where most MOBAs are played on a single, relatively unchanging map, competitive HOTS is played on nine highly diverse maps, each providing their own unique tools for winning the game. For example, on the map Sky Temple, teams fight for control of temples which fire lasers at opposing structures. A team can win a match on Sky Temple without ever entering the opponent’s base, simply by occupying the temples long enough. HOTS also removes many of the common mechanics that reward individual performance, emphasizing the strength of the team as a whole.

HOTS may look similar to other MOBAS on the surface, but its unique ruleset creates an entirely unique experience for both players and viewers. In LoL or Dota 2, there is always an extended phase at the start of the game where players are spread across the map, isolated in their respective lanes. The map-specific objectives in HOTS force teams to repeatedly group up around a specific point. As a result, games in HOTS are often more chaotic and action-packed, from start to finish.

The addition of multiple maps also adds a unique layer of strategy to the planning phase for teams. Some maps play into the specific strengths of certain heroes, increasing their priority and opening the door for new team compositions. In comparison, every game of Dota 2 and League of Legends takes place on the exact same battlefield.

Why is BlizzCon so Important to HOTS Esports?

With the possible exception of Diablo III, every active Blizzard title has evolved into a professional-level esport. HOTS is no exception. Before the game was even released, professional HOTS organizations were competing for bragging rights. At BlizzCon 2014, Cloud9, Evil Geniuses, Fnatic, and Team Liquid competed in a special exhibition tournament, with Cloud9 emerging as the game’s first champion.

Since that event, BlizzCon has been the home of every Heroes of the Storm World Championship. The event has slowly evolved from the finale of a long tournament circuit, into the official championship of the game’s global professional league.

What is the HGC?

[perfectpullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Heroes of the Storm distributed the fourth-most prize money of any esport in 2017, awarding $5.4M throughout the season.[/perfectpullquote]

The Heroes of the Storm Global Championship (HGC) is a professional league with four major regions—Korea, China, Europe, and North America. Similar to the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS), a set roster of teams compete in weekly matches against other organizations in their region, with the best teams qualifying for international tournaments. Blizzard also provides an annual salary to each player competing in the league.

The primary difference between the LCS and the HGC is that the regular season of Heroes of the Storm’s’ professional league is played entirely online. Players only come together in person at three yearly international events. These events award major prize pools, making qualification extremely important for organizations and players. In 2017, according to Esports Earnings, Heroes of the Storm distributed the fourth-most prize money of any esport, awarding $5.4M throughout the season.