You Can Now Play Heroes of the Storm for Free

Ahead of the game's official launch early next month, Heroes of the Storm has entered open beta, meaning anyone can now freely download and play Blizzard's take on the increasingly popular MOBA genre.

As announced last month, Heroes of the Storm will enter a two-week open beta following the lengthy closed alpha/beta testing process that began early last year. Previously, you had to receive an invite from Blizzard or purchase a Founder's Pack, a $40 package that included a beta invite and some in-game content.

Following this open beta, the game will drop its "beta" tag on June 2, though that won't mark the end of development--Blizzard intends to continue adding new characters and maps and refining gameplay.

Blizzard describes Heroes as a "fresh take" on the MOBA genre. Although its core is similar to that of games like League of Legends and Dota 2, it's a more welcoming experience for newcomers, dropping item management and offering shared experience across teams. It also speeds up the overall gameplay, letting players ride around on mounts. Matches typically take no more than 15-20 minutes.

Heroes recently got some mainstream attention when part of a tournament was broadcast on ESPN 2. This was criticized by both some ESPN viewers and at least one ESPN employee.