Will this game be an esport?

[Psykewne]

I feel like Blizzard is just putting out a MOBA with popular characters and expecting it to become an e-sport whereas to break into the scene now takes alot. SMITE is a good example. HiRez (the company why makes SMITE) have put their all behind the game and it's taken quite alot of work for it to get to where it is now. The Twitch viewer numbers and player base is nowhere near that or LoL or Dota2 however they have managed to achieve massive like events with large prize pools (this upcoming world tournament is over 1.5million dollars in prize money), they are also partnered with Tencent and have a Chinese release.

Blizzard is doing little to push HotS right now and the lengthy exclusive alpha and beta periods will not help this. One thing that has been made plainly clear is that people lose interest fast in a game they cannot access as has been shown by games such as Strife, Dawngate, Infinite Crisis, and the other MOBA attempts that are really going nowhere. SMITE also has gone for a third person over the shoulder skill shot based gameplay rather than the traditional RTS style camera and click based play, this allows it to find it's own market as well. HotS is simply too close to LoL and Dota2 and the lack of a standardised competition map will also hinder it. Another thing learned in the e-sports scene is that limitations in the playing field are better than too much variety. This is why SC2 struggles at times as the map pool begins to influence the results more than players in some situations.

Blizzard has not shown it is capable of really handling e-sports properly either. The showcasing at Blizzcon shows this as they are treated as secondary events happening alongside other stuff rather than as a true showcased event.

Hearthstone however is seated in a unique niche right now as it is the best example of an online only CCG and has a reasonable level of complexity. It is also reasonably fast paced so can function on a spectator level.

HotS has about as much e-sport potential as ARAM matches in LoL do. Don't get me wrong the game is fun, but it's certainly better as a casual game than trying to shoehorn it into true e-sport status.

[Deleted]

Blizzard is doing little to push HotS right now

Because they do not really want to, they already said that if players will want it to become an e-sport they will do what they can to support them. These are words from Dustin Bowder at Blizzcon if I remember correctly, if not there in some interview.

So they're just looking into making a fun game mainly but they do not seem to be going proactively for esport. Of course there will be a championship for Blizzcon because that makes sense.

http://www.lazygamer.net/general-new...-of-the-storm/

It’s not up to us if this game is an esport, it’s up to the players. Do players start forming leagues, do shoutcasters show up? If they do, we’ll be there for them. It’ll be interesting to see where these people take the game.

[Deleted]

Because they do not really want to, they already said that if players will want it to become an e-sport they will do what they can to support them. These are words from Dustin Bowder at Blizzcon if I remember correctly, if not there in some interview.

So they're just looking into making a fun game mainly but they do not seem to be going proactively for esport. Of course there will be a championship for Blizzcon because that makes sense.

http://www.lazygamer.net/general-new...-of-the-storm/

It’s not up to us if this game is an esport, it’s up to the players. Do players start forming leagues, do shoutcasters show up? If they do, we’ll be there for them. It’ll be interesting to see where these people take the game.

This is complete bullshit. Games become eSports because they receive plentiful backing to that order - do you think LoL just spontaneously combusted into an eSports giant?

Hell, you can see the effect of this attitude on Starcraft2. It nearly killed the game from progaming perspective, despite the legacy and potential, because Blizzard failed to support it as one.

[Super Kami Dende]

This is complete bullshit. Games become eSports because they receive plentiful backing to that order - do you think LoL just spontaneously combusted into an eSports giant?

Hell, you can see the effect of this attitude on Starcraft2. It nearly killed the game from progaming perspective, despite the legacy and potential, because Blizzard failed to support it as one.

Wrong and Wrong.

Blizzard is taking the same Route as LoL, LoL was not backed as an E-sport from release. The players brought it into a proper E-sport which in turn made RIOT realize the potential and started E-sport events. As blizz has said, if players want it enough they will get it going.

Secondly, That E-sport attitude you are talking about isn't what ruined SC2. The way in which they changed access and availability to LAN in SC2 and the rise of MOBA's is what killed out SC2.

Hardly many large tourneys for RTS these days aside from SC2, they just don't "excitement" of FPS/MOBA's/MMO Twitch watching Crowd.

[cityguy193]

It is boring, to you.

I would agree with you that the players were pretty bad, like every Abathur that played was pretty bad.

Its boring to everyone, including you. You know that too.

[Deleted]

This is complete bullshit. Games become eSports because they receive plentiful backing to that order - do you think LoL just spontaneously combusted into an eSports giant?

Hell, you can see the effect of this attitude on Starcraft2. It nearly killed the game from progaming perspective, despite the legacy and potential, because Blizzard failed to support it as one.

Not saying that you're wrong what I'm saying is that is clear that the company is not interested in actively pushing the game as a competitive esport and leave it to the players if they want it to become so.

Bowder is simply setting expectations in that interview: Do you want a game that get worked and pushed as an esport? Well we're not doing that but if you want to make it so, you're welcome.

[kaelleria]

So i'm fairly certain they've tried to reverse that stance based upon the high level exhibition and the reports saying they are trying to have a full scale league at launch... My point is its about 3 years too late. There is simply too much market saturation right now for them to make any impact.

[Deleted]

So i'm fairly certain they've tried to reverse that stance based upon the high level exhibition and the reports saying they are trying to have a full scale league at launch... My point is its about 3 years too late. There is simply too much market saturation right now for them to make any impact.

Maybe. I would not make too much out of the exhibition at Blizzcon if that's what you're referring to though, it just makes sense to have a bit of a thing there since it is their personal expo. *shrug*

[Thimagryn]

This is complete bullshit. Games become eSports because they receive plentiful backing to that order - do you think LoL just spontaneously combusted into an eSports giant?

Hell, you can see the effect of this attitude on Starcraft2. It nearly killed the game from progaming perspective, despite the legacy and potential, because Blizzard failed to support it as one.

Esports has always been player driven. Did you really think Icefrog and Gooseman put a lot of resources into making DOTA and CS mods into esports? Balancing the game is about all you can do. The road to becoming an esport is not something you can turn on or off with a flip of a switch, it's decided by how popular the game is and if there is enough demand to become that competitive.

[keese]

Esports has always been player driven. Did you really think Icefrog and Gooseman put a lot of resources into making DOTA and CS mods into esports? Balancing the game is about all you can do. The road to becoming an esport is not something you can turn on or off with a flip of a switch, it's decided by how popular the game is and if there is enough demand to become that competitive.

Sure it's player driven but it certainly doesn't help esports when Blizzard is taking half of the ad revenue from any tournament over $5000 prize pool.

[Thimagryn]

Sure it's player driven but it certainly doesn't help esports when Blizzard is taking half of the ad revenue from any tournament over $5000 prize pool.

I'm gonna ask for a source for that. Heroes of the Storm isn't officially out, and it has absolutely no tournament rules.

http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/company...ournament.html

Even the SC2 tournament rules have a 10k limit. TBH you can't project the potential SC2 standards onto Heroes just because it fits your image of Blizzard lacking E-sports support. Even with these rules, SC2 maintains to be a strong and healthy E-sport. I can't see this being a strong reason against the growth of Heroes when these rules aren't even in effect.

[keese]

I'm gonna ask for a source for that. Heroes of the Storm isn't officially out, and it has absolutely no tournament rules.

http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/company...ournament.html

Even the SC2 tournament rules have a 10k limit. TBH you can't project the potential SC2 standards onto Heroes just because it fits your image of Blizzard lacking E-sports support. Even with these rules, SC2 maintains to be a strong and healthy E-sport. I can't see this being a strong reason against the growth of Heroes when these rules aren't even in effect.

You're absolutely right. Those rules aren't in effect, and they may never be. But past behavior is a pretty good indication of future actions. I could be 100% wrong and HotS could be the biggest esport on the face of this planet, but based on what they've done with SC2 I have my doubts that HotS will have any kind of esports other than a small following.

[taliey]

So long as there's a market and an equally involved population, there will always be one.

For this game, the PvP scene is almost non existent. The last time PvP was relevant in WoW was like in Blizzcon. They dropped WoW in WCG because it wasn't attracting a large enough crowd.

In times past, yes. Today? I doubt it.

[PizzaSHARK]

You're absolutely right. Those rules aren't in effect, and they may never be. But past behavior is a pretty good indication of future actions. I could be 100% wrong and HotS could be the biggest esport on the face of this planet, but based on what they've done with SC2 I have my doubts that HotS will have any kind of esports other than a small following.

Correct.

Blizzard's handling of SC2 virtually killed its potential to become a big name as a competitive game, which is pretty insane considering its heritage. While they could change their tune with HotS (and Overwatch), I feel like you're spitting against the wind if you're expecting them to, particularly given Mr. Bowder's comments quoted a few posts above.

HotS will likely have a loyal, rabid following, but there's absolutely no chance of it becoming big like League or Dota 2 if Blizzard isn't in there with the players, giving them the support and the tools they need to build the system up.

Honestly, Valve's handling of Dota 2 should be considered the gold standard for developing a property into an esport. While you could argue it hasn't been perfect, their system puts so much power into the hands of the players to develop and operate their own leagues, whether it's just a little amateur-level league or huge multi-season leagues that rival Valve's own The International in notoriety. Hell, there's an actual collegiate Dota 2 league now because of the tools Valve has given players - you can literally watch Duke vs. Ole Miss in Dota 2 if you wanted to.

[Deleted]

I dont know, they had at blizzcon and it was half-fun to watch. I can at least see a tournament at blizzcon and perhaps dreamhack as well

[Mormolyce]

I am personally completely unsold on the idea that becoming an esport is a good thing.

+1 for EC, but a 6:30 video? You grossly overestimate an average hater's attention span.

Are you saying its depth to complexity ratio was bad?

That's experientially different.

[keese]

I am personally completely unsold on the idea that becoming an esport is a good thing.

Valve made what, like $40 million? on one item alone to help promote The International 4. I would assume that most of the money went towards development of the game. They've released 2 new heroes and like 2 or 3 major patches since then, not to mention lots of skins couriers and other goodies and all the stretch goals you got from owning a compendium. It's like win win win, esports advertise your game (TI4 was on fucking espn for god's sake), esports bring in money (through ads and in game purchases), they get current players excited about playing your game, and they are an opportunity to give goodies through stretch goals back to the player. So my question is why wouldn't you want esports for your game?

[kid-hots-tv]

Hard to predict judging by alfa-version, but i see a great e-sport potential in this game. If i was given a chance to make this game an e-sport i'd do more hard to land or hard to aim spells, cuz that's how skilled gamers would be recognized from the others. By now, there are few heroes with such abilities, Tyrande's Owl (Sentinel) for example, can be used across the whole map, which makes it useful to kill low hp opponent and it looks realy great when you land it perfectly.

[ComputerNerd]

+1 for EC, but a 6:30 video? You grossly overestimate an average hater's attention span.

Length is irrelevant.
Anyone who is determined to disagree with that will simply dismiss any evidence.

E-sports have to be approachable from the view of someone who does not know the mechanics or rules of the game.
It has to be interesting to watch for someone who has no prior knowledge, but to offer sufficient depth through skilled execution to appeal to the experienced.
Same with many traditional sports which are appealing for broadcast to the masses.

Some of that happens by accident, so I think a game should not be made to be e-sports, but rather left alone to be the best at what it can be.
E-sports audience should be a bonus, and not an aim at the expense of something else.