:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46168056/Screen_Shot_2015-02-05_at_2.40.33_PM.0.0.png)
Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard's long-in-development MOBA, launches on Windows PC and Mac on June 2, following an open beta that kicks off on May 19, the developer announced this morning.
The game drops well known characters from Warcraft, StarCraft and Diablo into the popular multiplayer battle online arena genre.
"With its focus on team play and fast-paced fun, Heroes of the Storm is a fresh take on a very popular genre," Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment, said in a prepared statement. "We've built Heroes of the Storm in a way that makes it accessible to new players, but also challenging enough for veterans who really want to put their skills to the test. We can't wait to see what Heroes brings to the co-op and competitive scenes once the Nexus opens up to everyone."
As with most MOBAs, Heroes of the Storm allows players to customize heroes to suit their style. The game will feature a variety of gameplay modes, including Cooperative, in which players team up against computer-controlled opponents, Quick Match and highly competitive, draft-style ranked play.
The game will launch with more than 30 playable heroes and seven dynamic battlegrounds, each with unique challenges to overcome. Blizzard officials say they plan to release more heroes and battlegrounds after the game launches.
To celebrate the launch of Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard will be holding a live-streamed event on June 1 in London. Further information will be made available as the event draws closer, according to the press release.
The game's beta launches after the finale of the Heroes of the Dorm collegiate eSports tournament which had more than 400 schools from the U.S. and Canada playing for hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition and other prizes.
On April 26, the Heroes of the Dorm championship match will be hosted at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles and televised live in prime time on an ESPN network and also accessible via WatchESPN. Further details on the telecast will be announced at a later date, according to the press release.
