<Tr> <Th> Genre (s) </Th> <Td> Multiplayer online battle arena </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Mode (s) </Th> <Td> Multiplayer </Td> </Tr> <P> Heroes of the Storm (HotS) is a multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment for Microsoft Windows and macOS that was released on June 2, 2015 . The game features heroes from Blizzard's franchises including Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, The Lost Vikings, and Overwatch . The game uses both free - to - play and freemium models and is supported by micropayments, which can be used to purchase heroes, visual alterations for the heroes in the game, and mounts . Blizzard does not call the game a "multiplayer online battle arena" or an "action real - time strategy" because they feel it is something different with a broader playstyle; they refer to it as an online "hero brawler". </P> <P> Heroes of the Storm revolves around online 5 - versus - 5 matches, operated through Blizzard's online gaming service Battle.net . Players can choose from different game modes, which include playing against computer - controlled heroes or other players . Initially, no heroes are available for permanent use; however, players may choose from a list of heroes that are free to use from a weekly rotation . By using gold coins, the in - game currency, or through microtransactions, they can gain permanent access to a hero . As of March 2017, there are currently 77 heroes in the game, divided into four separate roles: Assassin, Warrior, Support, and Specialist . These heroes include one multiclass hero . There are currently 14 maps available to play, all of which have different objectives to secure, with some having different victory conditions . </P>

When did heroes of the storm come out