'Hearthstone' Esports Is Just Getting Started Says Head of Game's Esports Division
"Hearthstone" esports is just getting started according to the head of the game's electronic sports division. The game offers one of the most diverse metas in the world of competitive gaming and continues to grow steadily these past few years.
The collectible card game's community has been expanding at a staggering pace. As of May, the game has over 70 million players due in part to the wide variety of platforms available for players.
This massive player base has led Blizzard Entertainment to develop a number of esports events for the game. The Hearthstone Championship Tour has been around for some time but has been this year that the event really found its vibe.
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The man in charge of this foray into the competitive scene is Che Chou, a relative newcomer to Blizzard. But he is far from being a novice in the world of esports, having worked for Microsoft and was responsible for the revival of the "Halo" esports program.
In an interview with IGN, Chou said that they are just getting started. This year is experimentation for "Hearthstone" esports and his team will continue to grow and refine the game.
Chou said that he wants the game's esports events to be a "cultural touchstone" for gamers where even people who don't play the game would be interested in the results of every tournament. And one way to attract players and non-players to the competitive scene is through live streams, something that Blizzard is already working on.
The company recently entered a deal with popular streaming platform Twitch where the website will broadcast a number of Blizzard's esports events. An in-game streaming option is also being worked on and will be implemented in future patches.
It's still too early to say if "Hearthstone" esports will achieve "StarCraft"-like status in the world of esports. But with a dedicated team, anything is possible in the world of competitive gaming.
