The MOBA games market is highly competitive. League of Legends, SMITE, Heroes of Newerth and DotA 2 are competing fiercely for every player. What chances does Blizzard have with Heroes of the Storm?
Today, HotS is officially launched, the beta phases are over. Now it’s time for the online game: Into the fight, as things are heating up in the market of MOBA games. According to the manufacturer, League of Legends leads the way with about 90 million active players, followed by DotA 2 with around 11 million active players. Behind them, the air is getting thin. It will be very exciting to see where Blizzard can position itself with Heroes of the Storm. Analysts from EEDAR predict that this MOBA will rank behind the giants in the genre in 2016 with a market share of 7%:
Will the Casual Market Save Blizzard?
Most MOBA games like League of Legends or DotA 2 are aimed at experienced players; this is evident from the focus on tournament play and the eSports sector. As a casual gamer, one has little chance of getting started. And this could be the point of attack from which Blizzard begins its conquest. Blizzard’s games have always been beginner-friendly and accessible. Looking at the successes of World of Warcraft and HearthStone, it shows that Blizzard has consistently managed to open genres that were originally complex games for core gamers to a much larger audience.
Anyone who has seen HotS will also notice that it plays a bit differently than League of Legends or DotA 2. It is more accessible, less complicated, while not losing any complexity. Just like Hearthstone. Anyone can join in directly, understands the rules, and can quickly achieve initial successes. Furthermore, the learning curve is very flat. You always learn something, but it is not overwhelming. In this way, you can progress from a “noob” to an experienced player and perhaps even a “pro gamer” over time in a Blizzard game. If Blizzard can achieve this with Heroes of the Storm again, then the game could really shake up the market.
Whether player numbers can really match those of League of Legends will be seen in time. LoL has been on the market for quite a while and has established itself. We believe that HotS can reach the numbers of DotA 2. We estimate that HotS will settle between League of Legends and DotA 2 in the coming year. However, we would not be surprised if Blizzard manages to get closer to LoL in the coming years. But that depends on how Heroes of the Storm is received by players, especially casual gamers. Now that the official launch is here, it’s time to play!
Relevant to the topic: Heroes of the Storm: Blizzard’s leftover stock or an all-star team?
