heroes Upcoming Changes to Hero Launch Skins and Bundles

[Stan 5,249]

Hero launch skins starting with Alexstrasza will be classified as "gem-only" skins. They won't drop in Loot Chests and cannot be forged with Shards. The good news is they will remain permanently available for purchase using gems even after a Hero's limited-time launch bundle has been removed from the Collection.

Screenshots

Official Announcement

Blizzard (Source)

When we launched Heroes 2.0, we made sweeping changes to our progression and reward systems that gave everyone the opportunity to snag all sorts of cosmetic items just by playing Heroes. Since that time, we’ve received a lot of positive feedback about those changes, but we’ve also heard from those of you who feel it’s now more difficult to acquire new items directly once they are no longer available for gem purchase.

We have listened to and absorbed all of this feedback, and today we’d like to share a few upcoming changes we’re making to Heroes’ launch bundles and launch skins that should offer greater control over how you acquire these items going forward.

Heroic Bundles and Gem-Only Skins

With our next patch, we want to give you the ability to buy a new Hero’s launch skins using gems whenever you’d like as a Skin Pack—even if that Hero’s limited-time launch bundle (a.k.a. their Heroic Bundle) has been removed from the Collection. For example, this means that once the upcoming Alexstrasza Heroic Bundle is removed during the week of November 27, a “Dark Queen” Alexstrasza Skin Pack will enter the Collection. That Skin Pack will then remain available for purchase using gems indefinitely.

In order to make this change, Hero launch skins starting with Alexstrasza will be classified as “gem-only” skins. Gem-only skins will not drop in Loot Chests and cannot be forged with Shards, but they will remain permanently available for purchase using gems. Skins that are gem-only will be clearly identified as such in the Collection UI, so they should be easy to differentiate from forgeable skins.

Finally, it’s worth noting that these changes will only apply to a new Hero’s launch bundle and skins. Any other skins that arrive with a Hero, like Alexstrasza’s “Dragon Aspect” skins, will still be forgeable using Shards, and can still be found in Loot Chests. Individual new Hero purchases are also staying the same: Once a Hero’s launch bundle is replaced by a Skin Pack, that Hero will remain purchasable indefinitely as an individual item using Gems or Gold, and will still be available in in Loot Chests. 

Get ALL the Skins!

We’ve also received feedback from players who have been disappointed to find past Heroes’ launch skins split up between Loot Chests and direct purchase in the Collection. Thanks to your feedback, we’re going to adjust Heroic Bundles and Skin Packs to include all of a new Hero’s launch skins so you won’t need to rely on Loot Chests to collect them all!

Additionally, and as part of our excitement for the Heroes we announced at BlizzCon 2017, we’re going to give you a little more bang for your buck when you buy Alexstrasza’s and Hanzo’s Heroic Bundles or Skin Packs. Alexstrasza’s Heroic Bundle, for example will include Alexstrasza and all five of her “Dark Queen” gem-only skins for the same price as our previous Heroic Bundles, which typically contain the Hero and three launch skins. This means that you’ll receive two more skins than usual at no extra cost! Some future Heroes will join the Nexus with fewer launch skins, but you will still get all of them when you purchase the associated Heroic Bundle or Skin Pack.

As always, we’d love to hear what you think of these changes after they go live. Your feedback will help as we continue exploring new ways for Heroes players to pick up the items they want and discuss how we can make further improvements in the future.

We hope you have a blast trying out Alexstrasza, and until next time, we’ll see you in the Nexus!

[Dejo93 1,023]

So basically Blizz saying : "Fuck you, give us money"

[DasBigHippo 14]

But like, how long are they going to available through scam, er, gems only?

[Caldyrvan 377]

45 minutes ago, Dejo93 said:

So basically Blizz saying : "Fuck you, give us money"

It was not entirely clear but if that means the launch skins will never be included in chests and never be obtainable with shards you are right and they worded it like they are giving us a gift :D

Edited November 7, 2017 by Caldyrvan

[MZLICH 43]

9 hours ago, Dejo93 said:

So basically Blizz saying : "Fuck you, give us money"

Completely agree ! 

[mada7 29]

It's hard to see this as anything other than a money grab to not have them also available for free. This feels like such a typical video game industry move. I don't see why they couldn't have skins and frankly all items be available to purchase with gems or shards like how heroes can be purchased with gold or shards.

[HenrySteinway 20]

Thanks God they didn't announce it on Blizzcon. It'd be such disappointing experience in those days of joy and celebration.

Next step — loot boxes drop just banners, sprays and other shit. That's a bad new. The good one — there'll be A LOT of this shit.

[Caldyrvan 377]

Maybe blizzard is having money issues and they are in dire need of it. :D

Besides, is anyone actually using, caring about or paying attention to banners, sprays, portraits and emojies? I never do.

And once the game starts there is usually constant action and no time to look at mounts or skins- If you would ask me right after a match I doubt I could remember the mount/skin of more than one, maybe two, heroes. Don't get me wrong I like some skins and mounts but the only time you really enjoy to look at them is when browsing your collection or outfitting your hero and that's definitely not enough to make me pay. 

I remember the times of Warcraft 1-3, Diablo 1 & 2 and Starcraft 1. They were providing great games and expansions for a fair price without additional fees and they made tons of money with them. Fair game for both sides, blizz and customers. I will never understand why they have to grab the money everywhere now and press it out of their customers.

[mada7 29]

4 minutes ago, Caldyrvan said:

Maybe blizzard is having money issues and they are in dire need of it. :D

Besides, is anyone actually using, caring about or paying attention to banners, sprays, portraits and emojies? I never do.

And once the game starts there is usually constant action and no time to look at mounts or skins- If you would ask me right after a match I doubt I could remember the mount/skin of more than one, maybe two, heroes. Don't get me wrong I like some skins and mounts but the only time you really enjoy to look at them is when browsing your collection or outfitting your hero and that's definitely not enough to make me pay. 

I remember the times of Warcraft 1-3, Diablo 1 & 2 and Starcraft 1. They were providing great games and expansions for a fair price without additional fees and they made tons of money with them. Fair game for both sides, blizz and customers. I will never understand why they have to grab the money everywhere now and press it out of their customers.

Skins I do notice and seeing someone with a cool skin kinda motivates me to play a hero or get their skin. As an example I saw someone with the brightwing flying monkey skin so that motivated me to play more brightwing and craft that skin so I could be a flying monkey too.  The skins and commentators are the only things I really spend shards on and the only things I really get excited about getting from a loot box so going this route is pretty disappointing to me since there's no reason to not have the crafting and loot boxes as options too.

[Erathis 53]

32 minutes ago, Caldyrvan said:

And once the game starts there is usually constant action and no time to look at mounts or skins- If you would ask me right after a match I doubt I could remember the mount/skin of more than one, maybe two, heroes. Don't get me wrong I like some skins and mounts but the only time you really enjoy to look at them is when browsing your collection or outfitting your hero and that's definitely not enough to make me pay. 

I remember the times of Warcraft 1-3, Diablo 1 & 2 and Starcraft 1. They were providing great games and expansions for a fair price without additional fees and they made tons of money with them. Fair game for both sides, blizz and customers. I will never understand why they have to grab the money everywhere now and press it out of their customers.

Notice skins/mounts?  YES!  The Prime Evil Diablo skin single handedly makes me love playing/watching others play Diablo (and it looks a hell of a lot better in-game than it does when browsing the collection so I actually notice it far more then).  While other skins don't have quite the same effect, I do tend to notice them often.  Same with Mounts.  Of course this is all kinda beside the point of...  They are cosmetic.  They don't do anything to directly change the game.  Blizzard making some skins Gem only does nothing to players who want to free-to-play it up (or don't feel that buying skins is worth the money...  In that case don't do it and the problem is solved).

As for mentioning Warcraft 1-3, Diablo 1-2, ad Starcraft...  You do know those are all games you actually had to buy right?  And Heroes is not?  Making some skins money only doesn't change that and frankly I don't see why I should feel cheated or that a company is being greedy when they are providing a free game and only charging for cosmetic extras.  I mean to really go by your example do you want them to make HotS a game you need to buy first before playing?

[MZLICH 43]

11 hours ago, TSRD said:

 

As for mentioning Warcraft 1-3, Diablo 1-2, ad Starcraft...  You do know those are all games you actually had to buy right?  And Heroes is not?  Making some skins money only doesn't change that and frankly I don't see why I should feel cheated or that a company is being greedy when they are providing a free game and only charging for cosmetic extras.  I mean to really go by your example do you want them to make HotS a game you need to buy first before playing?

Agree.. I think they haven't made much money since 2.0 because people could have skins easily without payment  and some others were buying skins to feel special to other people because most of players just were playing with normal skins ... so I think this help blizzard to attract those who want to have skins before others again

By the way another issue is they are becoming lazy about new heroes! In past they were adding 3 different type of skins in every hero release(normal,master,different one) I really hoped to see master alextrasza too which looks like her wow model (with shorts) and some other features about cloth n her horns but now they are just pissing themselves off with adding so much banners and voice lines etc which nobody cares much about

Edited November 7, 2017 by MZLICH

[XeaKon 23]

It is the same scam as it was with 2.0. There they removed gold as a reward to brawls and added a mere loot chest so now it's harder to get heroes but the cosmetics aren't exclusive to payers. Now they also make some cosmetics exclusive to payers. Blizzard is always trying to milk money from us one way or another.

[Caldyrvan 377]

Well, maybe it was a bit wrong to compare the old games which you buy then it's all done with an F2P that constantly releases new content. And you are right no one is forced to buy something, but still, players don't like to see something being exclusive to others so they are more tempted to buy it.

I really hope they will make the launch skins available in loot chest and obtainable with shards after the first 2 weeks. It's totally ok to keep bundels and that they are still purchasable with gems.

Oh and for the "Since 2.0 ppl bought less" just browse vids on YT and you find ppl showing how they buy gems :D And don't forget about the crazy (no offense) Asian (and ofc not only Asians) players they are often very very dedicated and buy all the stuff they can get.

Edited November 7, 2017 by Caldyrvan

[Valhalen 1,485]

Wait, so does that means that those skins will eventually be avaliable from Shards once the Bundles are removed? Or they will forever be Gem-only?

[Amit 17]

"We’ve also received feedback from players who have been disappointed to find past Heroes’ launch skins split up between Loot Chests and direct purchase in the Collection. [...] Some future Heroes will join the Nexus with fewer launch skins, but you will still get all of them when you purchase the associated Heroic Bundle or Skin Pack."

So instead of adding the 5 skins to the bundle they are simply removing skins so they can sell the same amount of skins xd

[mada7 29]

2 hours ago, Valhalen said:

Wait, so does that means that those skins will eventually be avaliable from Shards once the Bundles are removed? Or they will forever be Gem-only?

Based on the article it seems like they will forever be gem only skins. Thinking about this more it is a bit disappointing overall but practically speaking I never wanted more than 1 of a given color of skin and since these appear to be specifically legendary skins the odds of getting one from a loot box were low and the shard cost was quite high. Still disappointed but less angry than I was initially

[Plergoth 277]

Well, doesn't this defeat the point of the loot box system somewhat if they do this? I'd be willing to meet them halfway but to me this is blatant "fun's over, give us money now please". 

[Dejo93 1,023]

17 minutes ago, Plergoth said:

Well, doesn't this defeat the point of the loot box system somewhat if they do this? I'd be willing to meet them halfway but to me this is blatant "fun's over, give us money now please". 

Precisely

[Banard 61]

13 hours ago, Dejo93 said:

So basically Blizz saying : "Fuck you, give us money"

Its more like ...HOT 2.0 has been a hit ...for players but revenue has taken a drastic hit. People are not buying loot boxes as they were skins. 

So time to try and increase the revenue flow for this free game. 

 

[Banard 61]

2 hours ago, Plergoth said:

Well, doesn't this defeat the point of the loot box system somewhat if they do this? I'd be willing to meet them halfway but to me this is blatant "fun's over, give us money now please". 

its a basic cry stating we need to improve our bottom line or this game is getting less support. 

 

Also..it was what $9.99-$10.00 US for one of those detail skins with 3 colors? 

Country ETC was $9.99  i think...

nice to compare it to that when gem skins come out. 

Knowing blizzard and there asshole marketing team they will bundle and charge a gem price that you have to pay extra to get enough gems. 

i.e it be 1300 gems instead of 1200 gems so you have to pay for the more expensive gem package. 

Edited November 7, 2017 by Banard

[Toad 2]

Well .. i mean you still can get that skin when you are patient and collect the gems from every 25 lvl ups ... .but still i have to be really into it to do that ...

I support the game with my monthly stimpack not only because its ok for me to support something giving to me for free, no matter how rich they allready are but it improves my exerience of the game so 10 bucks a month i can agree on with my self. But ill never spend real money for a skin ... if its in a "reasonable" Price like lets say 600 gems so you can get one for every 100 or so lvls then i can live with that but else i doubt i would buy those skins ...

An even if theres a good chance that they will be 1300 gems its still a bit much if you think that a "free" legendary skin only costs 1600 shards after 2 weeks which you only have to play for ...

does the ptr allready say what it will cost?

For some reason i cant play on the ptr atm ..

 

[Godeyes 25]

For me it sounds more like:

"Hey, some players told us that they don't want to have skins like EVERYBODY else and that they want to pay real money for skins that won't be available n any other way. That way those skins will have "more value" and those douches that payed for them will grow their dicks even bigger. We like that idea because it will probably give us more money."

So its kinda like from now on the "legendary" skins will be obtainable only through gems. Kinda lame but I get it. Since when sth LEGENDARY should be given to you for your in-game effort ? Hours spent on the game ? Extra rank you have achived after long struggle ? Skills ? Nah... It should be for your money of course. Like in real life. Duh!

Hard to not be greedy this days...

Edited November 7, 2017 by Godeyes

[XeaKon 23]

14 minutes ago, Godeyes said:

For me it sounds more like:

"Hey, some players told us that they don't want to have skins like EVERYBODY else and that they want to pay real money for skins that won't be available n any other way. That way those skins will have "more value" and those douches that payed for them will grow their dicks even bigger. We like that idea because it will probably give us more money."

So its kinda like from now on the "legendary" skins will be obtainable only through gems. Kinda lame but I get it. Since when sth LEGENDARY should be given to you for your in-game effort ? Hours spent on the game ? Extra rank you have achived after long struggle ? Skills ? Nah... It should be for your money of course. Like in real life. Duh!

Hard to not be greedy this days...

 

It is not the players fault, it's Blizzard's for implementing premium only solutions. Although I understand that a game needs money to survive, I feel like Blizzard is trying to force me into using premium-only resources.

Another point is that I have always wandered how much profit do they(Blizzard) get from Hots.

[Valhalen 1,485]

11 minutes ago, XeaKon said:

 

It is not the players fault, it's Blizzard's for implementing premium only solutions. Although I understand that a game needs money to survive, I feel like Blizzard is trying to force me into using premium-only resources.

Another point is that I have always wandered how much profit do they(Blizzard) get from Hots.

Well, they're not really forcing anything, especially since this is for cosmetics. If we had to pay real money to buy the Heroes themselves, now that would be an entire different reason.

I don't think they're wrong by doing that, but it does feels like a dick move after getting us so into HotS 2.0. At least it is just for a few skins. That alone shouldn't ruin our experience.

[Kurosu 58]

10 hours ago, XeaKon said:

It is the same scam as it was with 2.0. There they removed gold as a reward to brawls and added a mere loot chest so now it's harder to get heroes but the cosmetics aren't exclusive to payers. Now they also make some cosmetics exclusive to payers. Blizzard is always trying to milk money from us one way or another.

I am glad people finally wake up :)