Heroes of the Storm simply cannot establish itself in the eSports scene. Is HotS perhaps not competitive enough?
Heroes of the Storm is a game where you can escape from the competitive stress that other MOBAs often bring. In HotS, the individual player does not matter as much as the entire group, which has its charm for casual fun. However, this might also be the reason why Heroes of the Storm cannot position itself as well in eSports as Overwatch or League of Legends.
For comparison: A few weeks ago at BlizzCon, Heroes of the Storm had its Autumn Championship. This was one of the most important competitive events of the year for HotS. This event only had 18,000 viewers on Twitch, while League of Legends had 80,000 viewers on the same weekend. Not to mention, there wasn’t even a special LoL event. Overwatch reached 100,000 viewers.
In Sports, It’s About Stories
A Gamasutra blogger excellently pointed out the problem with Heroes of the Storm:
“Sports are about stories. Stories of athletes overcoming adversity: Like the well-known story of a child who fell face-first into a puddle but went on to become an award-winning diver. (Sometimes these stories can be fictional!)
It’s no different in eSports – the best eSports games regularly produce stories of matches, seasons, and careers. A flaw of Heroes of the Storm is that the increased team focus is a green light to keep the game casual, thereby eliminating individual responsibility for losses, which largely destroys the opportunity for players to create central stories.”
This addresses the problem that it may not be as interesting to watch a game where individual performance does not count. There are no meaningful statistics in HotS to compare players individually. It does not matter how much damage an individual player has dealt or whether they managed to save their team with an amazing last-second heal. Since it is so irrelevant for the game, it is also irrelevant for commentators to mention these performances.
Individual Performance Attracts Viewers
When comparing it to this incredible play by Faker in LoL, the commentator practically freaks out: FAKER, WHAT WAS THAT?!
This consequently leads to a lack of stories to tell, where a player had a rough start and managed to turn the game around with a fantastic comeback. Or conversely, a player who starts off swinging like a berserker and suddenly hits the ground. In Heroes of the Storm, it’s either the team plays well or it plays poorly.
Furthermore, Heroes of the Storm is relatively easy to play compared to other eSports titles. While HotS does have its quirks and obstacles, it’s a bit more laid-back compared to other MOBAs. A relaxed gaming experience might be great for the player, but it makes it rather unexciting for the viewer. Viewers enjoy being impressed by how professionals master complicated game mechanics and sometimes leave them in awe. This also contributes to the stories.
The focus on the whole team and the casual gameplay is primarily the goal of Heroes of the Storm and HotS has mastered these goals with flying colors. However, these same goals may also mean that it is not entirely suitable for eSports, as it leaves no room for great stories.
What is your opinion on the suitability of Heroes of the Storm in eSports? Do you enjoy watching the matches, or would you rather follow the Overwatch League next year?
