Heroes of the Storm made a surprise return at BlizzCon 2026 — and I still think it's secretly the best MOBA out there

Eight years ago, I played my last match of Heroes of the Storm. For most of my late twenties, it was the MOBA my friends and I enjoyed playing night after night. Even though many preferred League of Legends or Dota 2, we had our own little universe in Blizzard's crossover brawler, fighting as beloved characters like Thrall, Jim Raynor, Tracer, and Diablo.

I fondly remember those nights spent in HOTS and our group's gatherings to reminisce about the incredible plays and frustrating losses we encountered during each session. However, in the time since, I had moved on. But all that changed at this year's BlizzCon, as Heroes of the Storm returned with a new hero, Xal’atath, the Harbinger of the Void.

The announcement sparked excitement among both returning players and those who had given up on the game. Naturally, I had to reinstall the game, and over the past week, I've played nearly every night, amazed by how quickly I've picked it up again and how well I remember each map, hero, and the flow of a game. Heroes of the Storm strips away some of the more hardcore aspects found in other top MOBAs.

There's no last-hitting creeps for extra resources, no shop to spend gold on character upgrades, shared experience points team-wide, and fewer secondary features to worry about during a match. While some might think this makes the game "dumbed down," I argue that Heroes of the Storm doesn't lack complexity. Instead, it offers unique talents earned as you level up that allow you to build your character in a chosen way, adapting your strategy to your strengths and countering the team composition you're facing.

The main gimmick of Heroes of the Storm is the variety of maps, each with different main objectives. These objectives require you to prepare and adapt to situations like defending an area, escorting a payload, or gathering scattered resources. Achieving these objectives gives you a temporary boon that works towards destroying your opponent's Nexus.

This dynamism and call for teamfighting make the game more exciting and enjoyable, rewarding positioning and smart engagements over repetitive creep farming. The roster of heroes is also a joy, featuring a diverse range of fighting styles from WarCraft, StarCraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and more. Characters like Abathur, Cho'Gall, and The Lost Vikings add unique depth and challenge to each match.

Overall, the combination of streamlined gameplay, diverse map objectives, and a wide array of characters make Heroes of the Storm an underrated gem in the MOBA genre.