Blizzard Entertainment had previously announced an Arena mode for Heroes of the Storm last year, then went quiet. This week they announced that Arena mode has evolved into Heroes Brawl. Heroes Brawl looks quite familiar to anyone that’s enjoyed the Brawl modes from Overwatch and Hearthstone.
The trailer above embraces the goofier aspects of Heroes of the Storm, and highlights why a silly Brawl mode fits perfectly.
Like the other Brawls, Heroes Brawl will shake up the usual gameplay formula. Three new types of battlegrounds will be available, including new arena variants with different objectives. Standard maps will be given mutators that may randomize your hero selection, or force everyone to be the same hero, or modify their abilities. The custom single-lane map Lost Cavern will also be playable in Heroes Brawl.
“[Heroes Brawl] will be a weekly rotating system where every week you’ll see a new piece of content,” John DeShazer, lead battleground designer told GameSpot. “We’ve designed this experience to be very easy for both new and experienced users. They’re really unique, stand-out experiences.”
Examples of crazy new modes is Ghost Protocol, where every hero is a one-shot-kill cloaked Nova. Or Hammer Time, where everyone flies around with their siege tanks permanently boosted.
To make Heroes Brawl more than just a funny lark, Blizzard is adding specific rewards. Completing each new Brawl nets you a new portrait. Completing three Brawl matches in one week earns you 1,000 gold, which is a large chunk of change.
Heroes Brawl is set to go live on the test server next week, with the full launch rolling out the following week. Blizzard recently added Alarak and Zarya heroes, as well as two Starcraft-themed maps and many new skins in the large Machines of War update.
