The new game mode of HotS is coming this October. We reveal what to expect from it.
For over a year, the developers of Heroes of the Storm have been working on the “Arena” mode, which was last showcased at BlizzCon 2015. The rules back then were quite simple: all characters play at level 10 and there are no talents, aside from the ultimate ability. Since then, the mode has undergone several changes, and it has significantly deviated from the original concept. What was supposed to be an “beginner-friendly and casual game variant for testing heroes” has now drawn inspiration from the “big” counterparts, Hearthstone and Overwatch.
That’s why the arena mode is not called Arena mode, but rather appropriately “Hero Chaos”. There will be different game rules every week – similar to the card chaos (Hearthstone) and the Brawl (Overwatch).
Maps have been created specifically for this game mode, although they often draw from the “big” counterparts and sometimes are merely shrunken variants of them. There is the “Punisher Arena”, where both teams receive points for how many punishers of the opposing team they can eliminate. However, the special excitement is meant to come from the mutators, which will change each match “in completely unpredictable ways” and “open up entirely new ways to play Heroes of the Storm.”
As a special incentive, there will be exclusive rewards that can only be obtained through the new game mode. This includes plenty of gold coins for completing the first 3 Hero Chaos matches per week and possibly (presumably) display images – Blizzard has not provided specific details yet.
The release of the new game mode is planned for October 17 – it is likely to be available to us on the following night, which is October 18.
