In the new patch that will hit Heroes of Newerth this Friday, S2 Games is going to implement a massive change in their Free-to-Play concept. From now on, all heroes and all game modes will be accessible for everyone for free
In a press release S2 Games states the massive change in their Free-to-Play concept. Right after the Free-to-Play was introduced people were complaining that S2 Games basically butchered the game by making it very hard to access due to the relatively small hero pool available for free. Also the entry for new eSports prospects was slowed down by the new concept because the player had to pay a lot of money to access the relevant game modes via in-game tokens. This whole concept will now be put to rest and is replaced by a All Heroes Free approach. The early access program will not be effected by this change.
“
We are very excited to announce All Heroes Free, which gives every player access to our ever-growing hero pool. After month of internal discussions and monitoring community feedback, it's clear that All Heroes Free is the perfect next step for HoN.” Marc DeForest, co-founder and CEO of S2 Games
No more 16 hero rotation
With this new approach in place every player can experience the variety of the game right from the start. The entrance barrier for complete newcomers or friends of already existing players is lowered once again. The old mode of a weekly rotation with 16 heroes being playable for free will run till this Friday.
“
"As gamers, we all know that games are more fun to play with friends, and All Heroes Free will make it easier for players to bring their friends to the game. This new model will also level the eSports playing field, as all players will be able to build their skill and advance their strategies with any hero they choose."”Pu Liu, Director of Heroes of Newerth
Everyone who spent real money or the in-game currency to purchase heroes in the last fifteen days will get a full refund of the respective currency. In an addition to that S2 Games will hand out an exclusive alternative avatar of Gemini for every player, Legacy accounts included, that have ever purchased a hero with real money. The exclusive avatar will be called Mecha Gemini and will give the old dog a more robotic look.
More rewards for loyal players
The Gemini avatar is only the beginning of the appreciation shown by S2 Games towards the loyal Legacy account holders. In the next weeks more and more rewards will be handed out to the loyal customers to thank them for the long support. The reward program was introduced two month ago with several bundles and an exclusive Puppet Master avatar as the prizes.
“
"Legacy players are the backbone of HoN, and there's no way we would be where we are today without them. Their early commitment to the game is irreplaceable, and as HoN continues to evolve, we are always looking for new ways to show our appreciation."”Marc DeForest, co-founder and CEO of S2 Games
New "Gated Mode" gets revealed
The press release is not only introducing the new All Heroes Free model and is hinting at new rewards for Legacy players, but is also introducing the new mode "Gated Mode". The new mode will be geared towards newcomers to learn the HoN in a secured and controlled environment.
“
"With All Heroes Free and the upcoming Gated Mode, we're really focusing on our new player experience and helping our current playerss bring their friends into the game. Gated Mode will allow new players to get into the game faster and easier by pairing them with a smaller group of carefully selected heroes and thereby lessening the initial burden of knowledge"”Pu Liu, Director of Heroes of Newerth
Source: S2 Games press release
