Gaming
esports
The Impact of Heroes of the Dorm
Here's why no one can resist TeSPA and Blizzard’s $500,000 collegiate eSports tourney.
This year’s Heroic Four
© Blizzard Entertainment
Last March, TeSPA and Blizzard Entertainment rolled out the largest Heroes of the Storm tournament to date – Heroes of the Dorm. Comprised of over 800 different teams and boasting a prize pool of over $500,000 in scholarships, the tournament was open to enrolled college students in the US and Canada.
Collegiate eSports is nothing new, but the sheer size of Heroes of the Dorm—both in number of entrants and prize pool—made it immediately significant, especially with the finals airing live on ESPN2. Last year’s tournament was not without issue, but it left a huge mark on both the collegiate and professional scene - and many motivated challengers have returned this year for another shot at scholarship gold and glory.
The Inaugural Event
As the first major tournament for a game that was still in closed beta, Heroes of the Dorm 2015 ran into a number of challenges. Though most of the tourney streamed on ESPN3 and ESPN2 aired the finals, many fans could not figure out where to watch the games. Some were confused about ESPN3 being an online-only service, while others simply did not have the requisite cable subscription to view.
Last year’s champs – UC Berkley
© Blizzard Entertainment
Behind the scenes, many teams were no-shows – this caused hours-long wait times between games for teams whose opponents were missing. Teams who entered Heroes of the Dorm were given a beta code for the game; many believed that players entered the tournament solely for beta access. These delays caused a number of scheduling issues, which were exacerbated by some games being rescheduled over the Easter weekend.
And as the final eight teams prepared to battle for a spot in the Heroic Four, the University of Connecticut’s Tricky Turtles were disqualified over an issue with one player’s enrollment in school. Though TeSPA never released an official statement, the player in question recently detailed his experience on Reddit.
Yet the finals aired on ESPN2 during the NBA Playoffs, marking the first time any eSports tournament had received major broadcast airtime. Amid criticisms from some, Heroes established itself and eSports in general as competition that could not be ignored. And more than 800 teams from across the continent signed up to play. By supporting Heroes of the Dorm and nurturing a healthy relationship with ESPN, Blizzard created a tournament that despite difficulties, was a resounding success.
A Growing Tournament
With such a strong foundation already built, it was no surprise when Blizzard announced the newest iteration of Heroes of the Dorm in January. Rounding off last year’s impressive $450,000 in scholarships at a cool half-million is just one way the developer reaffirmed its commitment to the collegiate tourney. Feedback from fans and players alike has revealed a much smoother tournament with an even higher production value this time around.
UConn’s Tricky Turtles
© TeSPA
The most noticeable improvement to Heroes of the Dorm in 2016 was in viewing options. Whereas last year forced fans to use ESPN3 (or one of a few pirated options), this year’s rounds of 64 through 8 streamed on ESPN3, Twitch, and YouTube. The Heroic Four will air on ESPN2, which is available to anyone through a 7-day Sling trial. Viewers outside North America will be able to watch the tourney on a YouTube link restricted to international IPs.
This year’s tournament has also had its own unique issues, as two Top 64 teams were disqualified for account sharing. Both Michigan’s Team Hot Boys and Harvard’s Team Ambush were booted before the first round of the Championship Bracket and their players were banned from all future TeSPA tournaments. Meanwhile, UConn’s Tricky Turtles have returned in dramatic fashion, and qualified for the Heroic Four with four of their five original players.
The Heroes of the Dorm Heroic Four kicks off April 9 on Seattle’s CenturyLink Field, home to the Seattle Seahawks and a far cry from last year’s venue in LA’s Shrine Expo Hall. Further exposure on broadcast television increases awareness and hopefully interest in Heroes and eSports as a whole. And the tournament is an excellent recruitment tool for tomorrow’s pros – just ask Fan Yang, who rode a 2015 Heroes of the Dorm title to a world championship. Tapping into the already competitive nature of collegiate sports will bolster the Heroes pro scene and ensure that North America continues to see a steady stream of talented players.
For more Heroes of the Storm coverage, follow @RedBullESPORTS on Twitter.
