Food For Thought/Thought For Food No. 12: The 2nd Nail In The Coffin (R.I.P. Heroes Of The Storm Class System)

(Please listen to this as you read: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_M5h0U3dng)

I want to show you all a number.

6810 

That's the number of games I've played within Heroes of the Storm since I got invited to the beta back in March of 2015. It's certainly an impressive amount, so here's a set of number as to how often I played certain classes.

Warrior: 1864
Assassin: 2268
Support: 1368
Specialist: 1206
Multiclass (Added in November of 2016): 104

Why am I bringing this all up? As of earlier today, this system that the base has known & played alongside for nearly 4 years is gone. Gone is this simple classification of character roles, and instead we now have something that is more reminiscent of games like League of Legends or Smite. Games that HotS wasn't trying to be. This marks the 2nd nail in the coffin of a game I enjoy very much, and the chances of it surviving 2019 have become that much bleaker. Much as I have an issue with e-sports, I can't deny that it most definitely helped keep the game afloat, and helped spread the popularity of this once unique MOBA.

So, join me now in mourning. Join me in the remembrance of a group of valiant warriors, who once waged war within the Nexus. Join me in bringing back fond memories of a time where a once glorious game company actually cared about it's product & fanbase, and didn't bend over to anyone.

Warrior:
Anub’arak (Melee)
Artanis (Melee)*
Arthas (Melee)
Blaze (Ranged)*
Chen (Melee)
Cho (Melee)*
Dehaka (Melee)*
Diablo (Melee)
D.Va (Ranged)*
E.T.C. (Melee)*
Garrosh (Melee)*
Imperius (Melee)*
Johanna (Melee)
Leoric (Melee)*
Mal’Ganis (Melee)*
Muradin (Melee)
Rexxar (Ranged)*
Sonya (Melee)
Stitches (Melee)
Tyrael (Melee)
Yrel (Melee)*
Zarya (Ranged) *

Assassin:
Alarak (Melee)*
The Butcher (Melee)*
Cassia (Ranged)*
Chromie (Ranged)
Falstad (Ranged)
Gall (Ranged)*
Genji (Ranged)
Greymane (Ranged)
Gul’dan (Ranged)*
Hanzo (Ranged)*
Illidan (Ranged)
Jaina (Ranged)*
Junkrat (Ranged)*
Kael’thas (Ranged)
Kel’thuzad (Ranged)*
Kerrigan (Melee)
Li-Ming (Ranged)*
Lunara (Ranged)*
Maiev (Melee)
Malthael (Melee)*
Mephisto (Ranged)*
Nova (Ranged)
Orphea (Ranged)*
Ragnaros (Melee)*
Raynor (Ranged)*
Samuro (Melee)
Thrall (Melee)
Tracer (Ranged)*
Tychus (Ranged)*
Valeera (Melee)
Valla (Ranged)
Zeratul (Melee)
Zul’jin (Ranged)*

Support:
Alexstrasza (Ranged)*
Ana (Ranged)*
Auriel (Ranged)*
Brightwing (Ranged)
Deckard Cain (Melee)
Kharazim (Melee)*
Li Li (Ranged)*
Lt. Morales (Ranged)
Lúcio (Ranged)*
Malfurion (Ranged)
Rehgar (Ranged)
Stukov (Melee)*
Tassadar (Ranged)
Tyrande (Ranged)
Uther (Melee)
Whitemane (Ranged)*

Specialist:
Abathur (Melee)
Azmodan (Ranged)
Gazlowe (Melee)*
Medivh (Ranged)*
Murky (Melee)
Nazeebo (Ranged)
Probius (Ranged)*
Sgt. Hammer (Ranged)*
Sylvanus (Ranged)
The Lost Vikings (Melee)*
Xul (Melee)*
Zagara (Ranged)*

Multiclass:
Varian (Melee Warrior/Assassin)(Still mad they didn't put anyone else in this category)*

Sorry for putting up such a depressing post, but given the changes that have occurred, I felt it was necessary. Rest assured that I'll give you my impressions on the "new" class system, but it'll have to wait for a few weeks as I mess with it. In the meantime April isn't that far away, and that means the return of Compilation Month. See you then!



*
The characters I loved under the old system. Gonna miss every one of them.