Heroes of the Storm – ESL https://esl.com Feel the passion for esports Fri, 10 Jun 2022 16:02:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 https://esl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ESL-Favicon-green-512-150x150.png Heroes of the Storm – ESL https://esl.com 32 32 Heroes of the Storm® once again returns to Katowice with the Western Clash this March! https://esl.com/article/heroes-of-the-storm-once-again-returns-to-katowice-with-the-western-clash-this-march-2/ Wed, 31 Jan 2018 10:25:57 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2018/01/heroes-of-the-storm-once-again-returns-to-katowice-with-the-western-clash-this-march-2/ The best teams from North America and Europe will compete for a $100,000 USD prize pool at the Western Clash taking place this March at the IEM EXPO.

]]> We are happy to announce that Heroes of the Storm® will make its third appearance at the IEM EXPO during Intel® Extreme Masters World Championship taking place beginning March 2! The very best teams from Europe and North America will battle it out in the Western Clash in front of the Katowice crowd.

This year, the stakes are higher than ever. Teams will be competing for a share of a US$100,000 prize pool and an extra spot at the Mid-Season Brawl for the winning team’s region.

We will see a total of eight teams play in Katowice. Their participation in the Western Clash will be based on their standings from the first five weeks of the Heroes of the Storm Global Championship. The qualifying slots will be distributed evenly between Europe and North America, with both regions sending four teams apiece.

The Western Clash will have the following format:

  • Double elimination bracket with the initial round of matches being best-of-three and all following matches being best-of-five

Last year, it was Team Dignitas who took home the trophy after a thrilling final against Fnatic. Will new faces challenge the champions or will the favorites rule all yet again?

We look forward to seeing which teams will make it to the Western Clash in Katowice and compete at the IEM EXPO. We’re in for some top-notch Heroes of the Storm action! Remember to check the HGC website for news and standings as the 2018 season unfolds.

Also remember to follow Heroes of the Storm on Facebook for all HGC news, as well as ESL Heroes on Twitter and Facebook for everything Heroes of the Storm at ESL and updates regarding the Western Clash.

]]> Heroes of the Storm® returns to Katowice with the Western Clash tournament this March! https://esl.com/article/heroes-of-the-storm-returns-to-katowice-with-the-western-clash-tournament-this-march/ Wed, 25 Jan 2017 20:25:24 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2017/01/heroes-of-the-storm-returns-to-katowice-with-the-western-clash-tournament-this-march/ The best teams from North America, Europe, Latin America, and Australia & New Zealand will compete for their share of US$100,000 during IEM Katowice 2017.

]]> We are thrilled to announce that Heroes of the Storm® will once again make an appearance at the Intel Extreme Masters World Championship Katowice. During March 3-5, the best teams from North America, Europe, Latin America, and Australia & New Zealand will battle it out in the Western Clash for a share of a US$100,000 prize pool.

A total of eight top performing teams will fly to Poland for the event. They will earn their tickets based on the first weeks of regular season play in the Heroes Global Championship and will be distributed as follows:

  • 3 slots for Europe
  • 3 slots for North America
  • 1 slot for Latin America
  • 1 slot for Australia & New Zealand

The Heroes Global Championship kicks off on January 20 with the opening schedule as follows:

 

Friday, January 20

Saturday, January 21

Sunday, January 22

Europe Match 1 – 9 a.m. PST/6 p.m. CET

Team Dignitas vs. Misfits

BeGenius ESC vs. Synergy

TRICKED eSport vs. Team expert

Europe Match 2 – 12 p.m. PST/9 p.m. CET

Team expert vs. Diamond Skin

Fnatic vs. TRICKED eSport

Misfits vs. Fnatic

North America Match 1 – 3 p.m. PST/12 a.m. CET

Tempo Storm vs. Team Naventic

Superstars vs. Team Freedom

B Step vs. Team 8

North America Match 2 – 6 p.m. PST/3 a.m. CET

Team 8 vs. No Tomorrow

Gale Force Esports vs. B Step

Team Naventic vs. Gale Force Esports
 

We look forward to seeing which teams will make it to the Western Clash in Katowice and compete at the IEM EXPO. We’re in for some top-notch Heroes of the Storm action! Be sure not to miss any of it and secure yourself a ticket to IEM Katowice – the third wave goes on sale January 17th at 16 CET!

In the meantime, follow Heroes of the Storm on Facebook for all HGC news, as well as ESL Heroes on Twitter and Facebook for everything Heroes of the Storm at ESL and updates regarding the Western Clash.

]]> ESL to host final Heroes of the Storm Europe Regional at gamescom! https://esl.com/article/esl-to-host-final-heroes-of-the-storm-europe-regional-at-gamescom/ Fri, 22 Jul 2016 22:40:15 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/07/esl-to-host-final-heroes-of-the-storm-europe-regional-at-gamescom/ This is your last chance of the year to compete among the best - sign up for the qualifiers and end up on the main ESL stage at gamescom.

]]> From August 17 to 19, the main ESL stage at gamescom in Cologne, Germany, will host the last Heroes of the Storm Europe Regional of the year. Eight European teams will battle it out for a share of the US$100,000 prize pool and a slot in the Fall Championship at BlizzCon 2016. All of the participating teams will be determined by open qualifiers which means everyone gets a chance!

Qualifiers

Sign up for the qualifiers here!

Schedule and format

  • July 23: Open Qualifier #1 – top 2 qualify for gamescom
  • July 27: Open Qualifier #2 – top 2 qualify for gamescom
  • July 30: Open Qualifier #3 – top 2 qualify for gamescom

All open qualifiers will be played in a single elimination best of three format.

Team Dignitas & mYinsanity to be invited

To honour the continued success of Team Dignitas and mYinsanity in 2016 we have decided to invite them directly to the event. This also means that they will not be in the way of up and coming teams who might be interested in participating in the open qualifiers.

Good luck and see you at gamescom!

We wish all of the participating teams best of luck and look forward to see the top eight compete on our stage at gamescom this August. Remember to follow ESL Heroes on Twitter and Facebook, as well as Heroes Esports and #HGC on Twitter for all updates.

]]> The Heroes of the Storm Europe Summer Regional UK survival guide https://esl.com/article/the-heroes-of-the-storm-europe-summer-regional-uk-survival-guide/ Fri, 22 Apr 2016 16:02:15 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/04/the-heroes-of-the-storm-europe-summer-regional-uk-survival-guide/ Get all the details you need to enjoy this weekend’s event to the fullest!

]]> Starting this Friday, the Heroes of the Storm Europe Summer Regional UK will not only determine the first participant for the US$500,000 Global Summer Championship but also their share of the US$100,000 prize pool up for grabs in Leicester. With that much on the line, both the group stage and the playoffs will definitely keep us entertained over the next three days!

Key information

Participating teams

Over the course of two open qualifiers and a final qualifier for the best non-qualified teams, the following eight stood out from the crowd and earned themselves the right to compete in Leicester:

Group A

Group B

  • Team Dignitas
  • Fnatic
  • Natus Vincere
  • Team Sandwich Monkeys

Broadcast team

This fine group of experienced personalities will be bringing you all the action throughout the event:

  • Host: Paul “ReDeYe” Chaloner
  • Desk Host: Michael “KendricSwissh” Kratzel
  • Analyst: Wade “Dreadnaught” Penfold
  • Commentator: James “Kaelaris” Carrol
  • Commentator: Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen
  • Commentator: Chris “Tetcher” Ivermee
  • Commentator: Thomas “Khaldor” Kilian


Click to enlarge

Schedule

This is how and when the three days of Heroes of the Storm Europe Summer Regional UK action will be going down:

Friday, 22nd of April:

  • 9:15 BST (10:15 CEST): Start of Group A
  • ~9:30 BST (10:30 CEST): Team Liquid vs. Silenced Monkeys
  • ~11:50 BST (12:50 CEST): Casual Logic Gaming vs. mYinsanity
  • ~14:10 BST (15:10 CEST): Winners’ match
  • ~16:30 BST (17:30 CEST): Elimination match
  • ~18:50 BST (19:50 CEST): Decider match

Saturday, 23rd of April:

  • 9:15 BST (10:15 CEST): Start of Group B
  • ~9:30 BST (10:30 CEST): Team Dignitas vs. Team Sandwich Monkey
  • ~11:50 BST (12:50 CEST): Fnatic vs. Natus Vincere
  • ~14:10 BST (15:10 CEST): Winners’ match
  • ~16:30 BST (17:30 CEST): Elimination match
  • ~18:50 BST (19:50 CEST): Decider match

Sunday, 24th of April:

  • 10:30 BST (11:30 CEST): Start of playoffs
  • ~10:45 BST (11:45 CEST): Semifinal one
  • ~14:15 BST (15:15 CEST): Semifinal two
  • ~18:10 BST (19:10 CEST): Grand final

Social media

Stay in touch with the action and get all the latest highlights, results and more by keeping an eye on the following social media platforms:

We hope you enjoy the matches and have a fantastic time watching these top teams clash in the Nexus! Who are you rooting for?

]]> All the teams for the Heroes of the Storm Europe Summer Regional UK are now set! https://esl.com/article/all-the-teams-for-the-heroes-of-the-storm-europe-summer-regional-uk-are-now-set/ Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:11:57 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/04/all-the-teams-for-the-heroes-of-the-storm-europe-summer-regional-uk-are-now-set/ Catch up on the teams who’ve made it from the final qualifier to the first Summer Regional in Leicester!

]]> In less than two weeks, the first Heroes of the Storm Europe Summer Regional will be held at the ESL UK studios in Leicester, England. Last Saturday, the best eight non-qualified teams from the open qualification went head to head for the remaining four spots at the event – let’s take a look at who’ll be part of the action in Leicester!

The final qualifier

Two big names in esports were the first to qualify for Leicester. mYinsanity stumbled during the open qualifiers but secured yet another chance for the big clash with Team Dignitas. Natus Vincere, who dropped out during group stage in Katowice, also earned themselves a spot by winning two games in a row.

See the full bracket on ESL Play

Team Sandwich Monkey and Silenced Monkeys – who were both eliminated in the deciding matches of the winners’ bracket by mYinsanity and Natus Vincere – made a comeback, earning the final two spots with 2-0 victories over Virtus.pro and EURONICS Gaming respectively.

The full team lineup for the Summer Regional in Leicester is as follows:

  • Team Dignitas
  • Team Liquid
  • Fnatic
  • Epsilon
  • mYinsanity
  • Natus Vincere
  • Silenced Monkeys
  • Team Sandwich Monkey

Join us for the ESL Heroes of the Storm Summer Regional!

With only two changes to the final eight, the Summer Regional in Leicester definitely looks like it’ll bring us some excellent Heroes of the Storm action. If you want more than just the viewing experience on Twitch as well as the chance to meet some of the best players in Europe, don’t hesitate in getting your ticket for the second day of the groups as well as the playoffs!

Get your ticket now and join us in Leicester!

Follow ESL Heroes of the Storm on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date with more details about the event in Leicester as well as highlights, news and future events.

]]> Kaelaris looks ahead to the ESL Heroes of the Storm Spring Regional Katowice https://esl.com/article/kaelaris-looks-ahead-to-the-esl-heroes-of-the-storm-spring-regional-katowice/ Wed, 02 Mar 2016 08:07:49 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/03/kaelaris-looks-ahead-to-the-esl-heroes-of-the-storm-spring-regional-katowice/ Desk host James “Kaelaris” Carrol gives us his opinion on the matches ahead.

]]> The ESL Heroes of the Storm Spring Regional Katowice is now only a week away. US$100,000 and a spot at the Heroes Spring Global Championship is on the line for these top eight Heroes of the Storm teams, and none of them are willing to give up their share of the spoils without a fight. But there can be only one champion…

The expert opinion

We asked desk host James “Kaelaris” Carrol for his opinion on the matches ahead:

“Since we last took a look at it before the qualifiers, the European scene has settled for the moment. That being said, while all the rosters may look different from when we saw them at the last LAN, it’s still the same faces, the same veterans all jumbled up and now flying different team flags. Right now Europe is probably the region that shows the most diversity in their drafts. You have some teams showing very conservative lineups and then others giving us wild compositions looking to disrupt the flow. Picks like Cho’gall, Arthas and even Murky are not outside the realm of possibility in Katowice.

Taking a look at the groups, both A and B are relatively balanced. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Dignitas and NaVi make it in group A, then Fnatic and Liquid to go the distance in group B. Those are the safe picks. Realistically, all the teams have a chance to upset here, as some strategies in the meta right now have teams throwing caution to the wind and looking to catch their opponents off guard. However, nobody can deny the power that the top four in Europe currently hold.

Players to look out for in terms of plays? Well, QuackNiix is one to always keep an eye on. The Mighty Duck himself is always out to impress, be it on Falstad or one of his current choice picks, Greymane. Snitch for Dignitas in a more flex role compared with his previous LAN showings will be interesting to watch here. Finally, pay attention to Epsilon – they’ll be interesting since they were the first team to even qualify for the tournament, which was quite out of the blue.

There’s a lot to be excited about from the deepest region on the planet, talent-wise. Katowice is going to be hype!”

The schedule

You can find the schedule for the ESL Heroes of the Storm Spring Regional Katowice below. Please note that some matches will be played backstage, but all games marked as taking place in Expo A can be watched live at the event.

SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH

  • ~12:00 CET: Group A match one (backstage)
  • ~12:20 CET: Group A match two (Expo B)
  • ~14:50 CET: Group A winners’ match (Expo B)
  • ~14:40 CET: Group A elimination match (backstage)
  • ~17:20 CET: Group A decider match (Expo B)
  • ~19:20 CET: Group B match one (backstage)
  • ~19:40 CET: Group B match two (Expo B)
  • ~22:10 CET: Group B winners’ match (Expo B)
  • ~22:10 CET: Group B elimination match (backstage)

SUNDAY, MARCH 6TH

  • ~12:20 CET: Group B decider match (Expo A)
  • ~14:40 CET: Semifinal two (Expo A)
  • ~17:00 CET: Semifinal one (Expo A)
  • ~19:40 CET: Grand final (Expo A)

Are you ready for Heroes of the Storm in Katowice?

The two-day ESL Heroes of the Storm Spring Regional Katowice kicks off on Saturday the 5th of March and will be taking place at Expo at Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2016. Whether you’re tuning in online or coming to watch the competition live, here’s hoping for some incredible games!

For all the latest updates, be sure to keep an eye on the official tournament site as well as follow ESL Heroes on Facebook and Twitter!

]]> There’s still time to sign up for the $200,000 MSI MGA tournament at PAX Prime! https://esl.com/article/theres-still-time-to-sign-up-for-the-200000-msi-mga-tournament-at-pax-prime/ Wed, 24 Jun 2015 09:35:13 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2015/06/theres-still-time-to-sign-up-for-the-200000-msi-mga-tournament-at-pax-prime/ The MSI MGA will see some of the world’s best Heroes of the Storm and StarCraft II players face off for a massive prize pool - will you be among them?

]]> We recently announced that ESL would be working with MSI for the MSI MGA 2015 event at PAX Prime, where the world’s best StarCraft II and Heroes of the Storm players will compete for $200,000.   

The MSI MGA (Masters Gaming Arena) is a globally renowned esports tournament formerly known as MSI Beat It. With its sixth iteration now set to be run at PAX Prime in August and a whole host of online qualifiers to come in the leadup to the event, there’s a lot to look forward to for both Heroes of the Storm and StarCraft II players in the next couple of months – and it’s not too late to take part!

The qualifiers

The MSI MGA qualifiers will find the top Heroes of the Storm and StarCraft II players from the United States, Europe and Asia. The four-day grand finals will be held at PAX Prime in Seattle, America, from August the 28th to the 31st, and will see those who qualify battle it out for more than US$200,000 in cash prizes and travel support.

The all-important tournament qualifiers will be run on the ESL Play website, with details of the qualifiers also to be shown on the MSI MGA portal – and it’s these that could lead to you competing for your share of $200,000 at PAX Prime!

The full schedule for the MSI MGA qualifiers is as follows:

HEROES OF THE STORM

  • ASIA: June 14th and 15th (Sunday and Monday) – 15:00 GMT+8 (09:00 CEST)
  • CHINA: June 20th (Saturday) – 16:00 GMT+8 (10:00 CEST)
  • CHINA: June 21st (Sunday) – 19:00 GMT+8 (03:00 CEST)
  • EUROPE: June 27th and 28th (Saturday and Sunday) – 22:00 GMT+8 (16:00 CEST)
  • SOUTHEAST ASIA: July 5th (Sunday) – 16:00 GMT+8 (10:00 CEST)
  • AMERICAS: July 11th and 12th (Saturday and Sunday) – 07:00 GMT+8 (18:00 EST)
  • SOUTHEAST ASIA: July 12th, Sunday – 16:00 GMT+8 (10:00 CEST)

STARCRAFT II

  • KOREA: July 1st and 2nd, (Wednesday and Thursday) – 15:00 GMT+8 (09:00 CEST)
  • EUROPE: July 8th and 9th (Wednesday and Thursday) – 22:00 GMT+8 (16:00 CEST)
  • SOUTHEAST ASIA: July 15th and 16th (Wednesday and Thursday) – 16:00 GMT+8 (10:00 CEST)
  • TAIWAN: July 22nd and 23rd (Wednesday and Thursday) – 16:00 GMT+8 (10:00 CEST)
  • ASIA: July 27th and 28th (Monday and Tuesday) – 16:00 GMT+8 (10:00 CEST)
  • AMERICAS: July 29th and 30th (Wednesday and Thursday) – 07:00 GMT+8 (18:00 EST)

All qualifiers and open qualifiers will be broadcast live at Twitch.tv/MSIGamingASIA (in Taiwanese) and Twitch.tv/MSIGamingAMEU, so be sure to tune in!

Prizes

Want to know exactly what you stand to get your hands on? The prizes for the MSI MGA Heroes of the Storm and StarCraft II competition break down as follows:

HEROES OF THE STORM

  • First place: US$3,0000
  • Second place: US$12,000
  • Third place: US$8,000

STARCRAFT II

  • First place: US$10,000
  • Second place: US$4,000
  • Third place: US$2,000
  • Fourth place: US$2,000
  • Fifth to eighth place: US$1,000
  • Ninth to twelfth place: US$400
  • Thirteenth to sixteenth place: US$350

Working together for epic esports action

Eric Kuo, MSI vice president of global sales and marketing, said of the new partnership:

“MSI works hard to help promote and elevate eSports to a new level. The annual MSI MGA (Beat IT) gaming tournament and numerous award-winning gaming products are the solid proof of MSI’s dedication to the development of competitive gaming. This year, we are thrilled to collaborate with ESL to take MSI MGA to the next level. It will be the first time ever for MSI MGA to have its Grand Finals concluded in the United States and we will go all out to make this event cool and fun.”

Jasper Mah, ESL Asia Pacific’s business development director, also gave his perspective on working with MSI for this exclusive event, saying:

“Without a shadow of a doubt, MSI is one of the world’s best gaming hardware manufacturers. As a professional tournament organizer, ESL is deeply privileged to partner with MSI to orchestrate the months-long gaming event.”

For more information about the MSI MGA tournament, be sure to check out the official website and follow MSI on Facebook and Twitter.

Good luck!

]]>