Blizzard loves cross-pollinating their games. Online hero brawler Heroes of the Storm is the literal example of combining all of their game franchises. Popular online hero shooter Overwatch is gaining more ground, and Heroes of the Storm welcomes its fourth Overwatch hero, Genji, to the roster. Also arriving today is the Overwatch map Hanamura, converted into a unique payload map for Heroes of the Storm.
The Heroes of the Storm 2.0 Open Beta has just been updated! Log in to try Genji, Hanamura, & more!
Patch notes: https://t.co/rdb1H7xeds pic.twitter.com/3I5pBPcPIY
— Heroes of the Storm (@BlizzHeroes) April 17, 2017
Genji is a quick melee assassin hero, just like he is in Overwatch. His hero trait lets him jump around the battlefield while he flings shurikens and deflects incoming fire. The cyborg ninja’s signature ultimate ability, Dragonblade, is one of two heroic abilities in Heroes of the Storm. It lets him do huge damage to multiple heroes in an area, and becomes even deadlier once his foes begin to fall.
Hanamura offers a new payload dynamic to Heroes of the Storm. Both teams must escort their payloads to their destinations in order to do damage to the enemy’s core. Destroying forts lets your payload do more damage. The core is completely protected as in Towers of Doom, forcing everyone to complete the objective (*insert Get to the Payload* joke here). Neutral mercenary camps also provide unique bonuses, including special one-use items you can use in the midst of battle.
This update comes just before the massive Heroes of the Storm 2.0 hits next week. The overhaul changes the experience system for both players and heroes and adds Overwatch-style loot boxes as level up rewards. Heroes of the Storm 2.0 is currently in open beta.
