Today, we present to you the very first bits of news from our Heroes of the Storm camp in 2016.
Looking back at 2015, we are proud of our team's incredible year. We went from one end of the world to the other, from tournament to tournament, establishing ourselves as one of the very best teams in the world. That being said, it is no secret that we were all devastated when we didn't manage to qualify for the World Championships at BlizzCon. That prompted us to make changes to the team, and we said goodbye to three of our players—Blackscorp, FalcoN and GranPkt—before welcoming three new ones—Cris, GerdamHerd and Lowell. We competed at DreamHack Winter with this lineup and had a great event, placing second behind Fnatic after some incredibly tense games that went on into the middle of the night. While we were very happy, we are again making changes to our Heroes of the Storm division; LucifroN and VortiX are leaving our Heroes of the Storm team.
It's not all sad news for the fans of the Durán brothers, however. VortiX will make a comeback to StarCraft 2 and continue to be a full-time progamer under the Liquid flag. We are ecstatic to see VortiX return to StarCraft. He is someone we had always admired during his career, and we always viewed him as a player that we wanted on Liquid. That of course became a reality when Juan joined us in Heroes of the Storm, but if the stars had aligned between 2012 and 2013, you would have been able to see Juan and his brother wear the blue jersey already back then.
LucifroN, however, has chosen a different path from his brother. He has decided to stop being a full-time progamer and instead focus on finishing his bachelor's degree. While it's sad to see the Durán brothers finally part ways, Pedro will not be leaving the game entirely. He will continue to play StarCraft 2 for fun when mood and time allows it, and he will still wear the Liquid name as some of our other legacy players (Jinro, HayprO, Zenio, etc.) have in the past. Who knows, you may even get to see him at a tournament.
That leaves the question, what is happening with our Heroes of the Storm team? We have over the past two weeks been looking at our options, had internal meetings about it and are in the process of trying out a couple of players. As soon as we have solidified who we will bring onto the team, we will let you know.
<div class="squote">First of all, I have to say that I'm grateful for the time I've spent in Heroes of the Storm. I've met a lot of nice people, I've experienced how it's like to compete in a team game, and I've had lots of fun. The Game has a very healthy community and I'm sure it will grow even bigger next year. However, I'm a very competitive player and in my opinion, the game is too team dependent and the individual skill cap is too low for my tastes. The ladder matchmaking also slowly burnt me out over the past few months.
On the other hand, watching SC2's DreamHack: Winter tournament made my whole perspective towards the game change. I felt it fit me much better and I found it much more entertaining than HotS or WoL. My desire to go back to SC2 slowly kept growing, and after WCA I made the decision to switch back. Also, the chance of being able to do it while on Team Liquid, one of the teams I had always admired the most in SC2, makes it even more interesting and exciting.
My motivation and mindset towards the game and towards competition overall are much better than what they had been. Once I'm used to the new expansion, I fully expect to do better than what I had accomplished before this 1 year break. I've already been playing for the past few weeks and the sensations are good. When I retired I said, "I'm pretty sure sooner or later SC2 will catch my attention again and I'll be there to show the best level I've ever had." Hell, it's about time.
<div class="sname">- Liquid`VortiX</div></div>
<div class="squote">After a very successful year in Heroes, I've decided to quit the game. The main reason for this is that I no longer enjoy playing as much as I used to. Even if scrims were fun, laddering has always been—in all the different games I've played—my main source of practice and the one I used to enjoy the most. That's just something I couldn't do in Heroes. Maybe I'm too used to solo games, but playing Heroes League was very frustrating for a number of reasons that aren't worth going into detail right now. However, they are very obvious to anyone who has played HL at a high MMR.
Another important reason is that I want to finish my bachelor's degree this year, so playing a team-based game could be tricky in terms of scheduling scrims, attending tournaments, etc. Back when I played solo games, I could choose whether or not I wanted to attend a tournament or what days and at what time I would practice, giving me more control over my time. This is obviously different in team games.
Even if I see Heroes get bigger through 2016, both in terms of popularity and prize money, I realized that team games are just not my sort of thing when it comes to competition. However, I still believe that the game has a lot of potential and the problems Heroes League has will be solved in the near future. At this point I'd like to clarify that I'm in no way blaming any of my past or present teammates at all, as I consider all of them very helpful and easy to play with. It's just that playing team games is not really my thing.
So, for those wondering about my plans for 2016: I'll focus on finishing my bachelor's degree and play some SC2. I still don't know whether I'll try to go pro again while studying or if it will just be for fun.
I'd like to thank Team Liquid for their support throughout the year. They were one of the first organizations that invested in Heroes and have been very helpful and friendly to me during this time. I would also like to wish my teammates good luck. I'm sure they'll do great.
Finally it's official . Really hyped to see Vortix play sc2 again, especially for TL. I think he will go to the very top of the foreign scene. Too bad he won't play at Leipzig yet.
I remember when Vortix and Lucifron both left Karont3 I had hoped they joined liquid. Glad to see they're both back and motivated. Vortix will be a contender in no time
This is great! And the TL Legacy team even getting stronger:p would be cool if they convinced HayprO, Jinro, and Lucifron to attend a tourney just to see what happens as a TLegacy squad.
However, I'm a very competitive player and in my opinion, the game is too team dependent and the individual skill cap is too low for my tastes.
The thing I don't understand is how he continued to play the game for so long; The low skillcap isn't a "sudden thing". It always there! I remember pointing it this out as an issue over 15 months ago - Ideally games should be easy to learn and hard to master. But quickly it became apparent that the game was easy to learn and easy to master from an individual level.
Back then I received all of the classical "just wait until pro gamers start playing --> Then they show us the skillcap" or "it is just in alpha/beta", "Skillcap doesn't matter"-nonsense comments. Glad they got prooved wrong in hindsight.
Finally the second best foreigner zerg of all time coming back :D. I'm sure LucifroN will put up good results even attending few tournaments haha, so better than nothing!
However, I'm a very competitive player and in my opinion, the game is too team dependent and the individual skill cap is too low for my tastes.
The thing I don't understand is how he continued to play the game for so long, because the low skillcap didn't just turn up suddenly. It was always there. I remember pointing it this out as an issue over 15 months ago, and ofc back then I received all of the classical "just wait until pro gamers start playing --> Then they show us the skillcap" or "it is just in alpha/beta"- nonsense comments.
I mean, a lot of people said and still say that, but you can still have fun with the game for a while. It just won't satisfy the most competitive 1v1 players forever. Also a lot of players (Vortix, Grubby, Nerchio...) just didn't like HotS and needed a change. Vortix never ruled out a comeback in the long run and LotV is just a way better game. I don't think Vortix would've returned to HotS.
And since they were really successful with Heroes, I can see how you would keep playing a bit longer, even if the game is not perfect for you.
I know people love HotS and all, but Starcraft is where it's at for excitement and passion. SO excited for a return to SC after all of these retirements, plus he's rockin' the Liquid banner too, awesome news.
On January 14 2016 03:56 Musicus wrote: Finally it's official . Really hyped to see Vortix play sc2 again, especially for TL. I think he will go to the very top of the foreign scene. Too bad he won't play at Leipzig yet.
Did he say somewhere hes not going to Leipzig?
EDIT: NM. Just saw they released the player list and hes not on it.
Now what Liquid needs is a rival team. Some of the most interesting times in SC2 for me personally were when team rivalries were strongest (Liquid vs. EG, Liquid vs. Acer).
Also a lot of players (Vortix, Grubby, Nerchio...) just didn't like HotS and needed a change.
Well if they wanted a MOBA w/ a much higher skillcap why didn't they just play LOL or Dota instead? (though w/ regards to Nerchio, pretty sure he also played those games. At least he has told me he played LOL).
Like I can understand you think HOTS is initially fun as the learning curve is low and there are lots of teambattles. But after a month I personally felt that I reached the mechanical skillcap and most of it just came down to teamcoordination.
I guess as Lucifron points out, they maybe had fun during scrims (on coordinated teams). But soloq I think a game w/ no carrypotential doesn't work.
Also, I would very much like for people to stop the whole "the game will growt in the future"-myth. In order for a game to grow it needs to retain its playerbase and get new players in.
The former, I don't think the game will be able to as it simply lacks depth/skillcap.
The latter, if you look at Google Trends, you can see search interest from potential new players, and it's steadily declining. For January it is at the same level as it was in October 2014. If you compare that graph to those of historical growth-games like LOL, DOTA and CS:GO you see a steadily rising Google Trends search interest for those games.
So the most likely scenario is that the playerbase will dwindle in the future.
On January 14 2016 04:55 Hider wrote: Also, I would very much like for people to stop the whole "the game will growt in the future"-myth. In order for a game to grow it needs to retain its playerbase and get new players in.
The former, I don't think the game will be able to as it simply lacks depth/skillcap.
The latter, if you look at Google Trends, you can see search interest from potential new players, and it's steadily declining. For January it is at the same level as it was in October 2014. If you compare that graph to those of historical growth-games like LOL, DOTA and CS:GO you see a steadily rising Google Trends search interest for those games.
So the most likely scenario is that the playerbase will dwindle in the future.
The funny thing is that this is the same argument people have given for SC2 in the past. Looks like little HotS wants to follow in big HotS' footsteps
So easy to get frustrated on heroes of the storm laddering, made me quit that game too. Can't imagine how it must feel if you were a SC2 pro. I'm excited to see how good he is!
Thats the big announcement that was teased over the last few weeks? Mhm, was kinda known its Vortix, right? It was supposed to be something BIG!?!?!?!?!?
On January 14 2016 05:14 SeriousLus wrote: Thats the big announcement that was teased over the last few weeks? Mhm, was kinda known its Vortix, right? It was supposed to be something BIG!?!?!?!?!?
Same thoughts. I expected someone bigger than Vortix.
Normally I would say this is good news, but I feel like this might be bad for foreign scene overall in terms of perception of balance of the game.
There already are many people in europe and americas who mistakenly think that zerg is too strong. Vortix is a spectacular good player and when he comes back then I think he will be one of the top 3 foreigners alongside Scarlett and Snute. This makes all the best foreigners Zerg and I think we are going to see many tournamens in europe where finals is going to be Snute vs Vortix/Firecake/Nerchio.
Please don't understand me wrong I am happy for more players playing the game, but I am a little bit afraid of comments from people who don't understand the game really good who have skewed perception of balance
Maybe more people come back full time pro. Europe need more good terran gamers. Please come back guys
On January 14 2016 04:08 lastride wrote: crap its not Idra
Comments like this I find quite sad, Let Greg get on with his life and growing up, a lot of which he missed when he was slaving away over SC when he was very young in a far away land, just let him get on with his education and social development and stop pining for him to come back when he has stated many times he does not wish too.
Great news for Liquid SC2 and Vortix, very happy to see him return and best of luck to Lucifron, maybe Dreamhack will travel to Spain again some time,you could pop up in a tournament xD
On January 14 2016 05:14 SeriousLus wrote: Thats the big announcement that was teased over the last few weeks? Mhm, was kinda known its Vortix, right? It was supposed to be something BIG!?!?!?!?!?
depends what you're talking about - if it's about skill, then there's no other player who could come back and be better than VortiX
if it's about their popularity, then I guess you have a point, but Kaelaris never said it was "one of the most popular foreigners of all time"
On January 14 2016 06:47 geokilla wrote: Finally Liquid is relevant in SC2 again!
What ever happened to LiquidHero by the way?
Code A
Lets hope he can win, Sascri isn't some godlike player you can't beat! And this game seems to suit him better, been watching his stream and he looks a lot better than in HotS
Vortix is back! I remember he beat a lot of Korean in wol era. I hope he does well in lotv too.
I love Hots but because the game mechanics is heavily team focused, individual skill is inconspicuous. Team sports needs individual hero, but I don't know HotS can have individual hero.
On January 14 2016 08:45 Taari wrote: Yesssss. Welcome back! =) 2016 started great so far! No player that i cheer for has retired, now even one comes back!
Really? you must be a terran or korean hater right? :D. MMA,flash,Parting,Hyun,Fantasy...These names alone let me cry a river
On January 14 2016 08:45 Taari wrote: Yesssss. Welcome back! =) 2016 started great so far! No player that i cheer for has retired, now even one comes back!
Really? you must be a terran or korean hater right? :D. MMA,flash,Parting,Hyun,Fantasy...These names alone let me cry a river
On January 14 2016 18:30 Furinax wrote: What about the HOTS team?
That leaves the question, what is happening with our Heroes of the Storm team? We have over the past two weeks been looking at our options, had internal meetings about it and are in the process of trying out a couple of players. As soon as we have solidified who we will bring onto the team, we will let you know.
On January 14 2016 08:45 Taari wrote: Yesssss. Welcome back! =) 2016 started great so far! No player that i cheer for has retired, now even one comes back!
Really? you must be a terran or korean hater right? :D. MMA,flash,Parting,Hyun,Fantasy...These names alone let me cry a river
PartinG isn't retiring.
It's not confirmed yet. The question is who wants to pick up a Korean player who> - cannot play in proleague(if PL will be played this year) - is not qualified for both 1v1 leagues and thus is missing half of the season in Korea - has no athletic visa or other excuse to play foreign tournaments
Why would you pick a player like Parting?
Well, I hope for the best, but ...
Anyway, another Zerg on the foreign scene, hmm. how about some Terran love?
On January 14 2016 08:45 Taari wrote: Yesssss. Welcome back! =) 2016 started great so far! No player that i cheer for has retired, now even one comes back!
Really? you must be a terran or korean hater right? :D. MMA,flash,Parting,Hyun,Fantasy...These names alone let me cry a river
PartinG isn't retiring.
It's not confirmed yet. The question is who wants to pick up a Korean player who> - cannot play in proleague(if PL will be played this year) - is not qualified for both 1v1 leagues and thus is missing half of the season in Korea - has no athletic visa or other excuse to play foreign tournaments
Why would you pick a player like Parting?
Well, I hope for the best, but ...
Anyway, another Zerg on the foreign scene, hmm. how about some Terran love?
What do you mean it's not confirmed yet? Parting confirmed that he will keep playing sc2 in 2016.
On January 14 2016 08:45 Taari wrote: Yesssss. Welcome back! =) 2016 started great so far! No player that i cheer for has retired, now even one comes back!
Really? you must be a terran or korean hater right? :D. MMA,flash,Parting,Hyun,Fantasy...These names alone let me cry a river
mma is kinda sad, but not one of my favorite players. i disliked parting and flash and didnt care about hyun and fantasy.
I am more into herO, Creator, Hurricane, sOs, Zest, Dream, Cure, Rogue, Dark, Curious. May be a very odd combination, i agree, it's mine nonetheless.
Shine and Hack and Terminator were sad as well though.
On January 14 2016 04:55 Hider wrote: Also, I would very much like for people to stop the whole "the game will growt in the future"-myth. In order for a game to grow it needs to retain its playerbase and get new players in.
The former, I don't think the game will be able to as it simply lacks depth/skillcap.
Very few popular games have a skillcap that gets close to SC2. Even the "hard" MOBA, DOTA 2, does not have a higher skill cap. Who do you think even hit the skill cap...? Is it hypothetically possible? Especially after LOTV increased it quite a bit?
Anyway, I do agree with you regarding "depth", which does seem to be improved in LOTV so far, and Blizzard has made it clear that they're working on at least some components of depth still.
On January 14 2016 04:55 Hider wrote: Also, I would very much like for people to stop the whole "the game will growt in the future"-myth. In order for a game to grow it needs to retain its playerbase and get new players in.
The former, I don't think the game will be able to as it simply lacks depth/skillcap.
Very few popular games have a skillcap that gets close to SC2. Even the "hard" MOBA, DOTA 2, does not have a higher skill cap. Who do you think even hit the skill cap...? Is it hypothetically possible? Especially after LOTV increased it quite a bit?
Anyway, I do agree with you regarding "depth", which does seem to be improved in LOTV so far, and Blizzard has made it clear that they're working on at least some components of depth still.
It seems to me that he's talking about Heroes of the Storm, not SC2 I think. I could be wrong though.
On January 14 2016 08:45 Taari wrote: Yesssss. Welcome back! =) 2016 started great so far! No player that i cheer for has retired, now even one comes back!
Really? you must be a terran or korean hater right? :D. MMA,flash,Parting,Hyun,Fantasy...These names alone let me cry a river
PartinG isn't retiring.
It's not confirmed yet. The question is who wants to pick up a Korean player who> - cannot play in proleague(if PL will be played this year) - is not qualified for both 1v1 leagues and thus is missing half of the season in Korea - has no athletic visa or other excuse to play foreign tournaments
Why would you pick a player like Parting?
Well, I hope for the best, but ...
Anyway, another Zerg on the foreign scene, hmm. how about some Terran love?
What do you mean it's not confirmed yet? Parting confirmed that he will keep playing sc2 in 2016.
Well, we cannot see that this is true, right? Because all the reasons I wrote. In a half year many things can happen.(the first half of this year Parting already missed in Korea) T1 could agree to let Parting play in PL, for example.
Is this the death of teamliquid Heroes of the Storm? The duran brothers were the core of the team, firing everyone else just a few months back...
I hope they keep a team! Blizzard will make sure there is stuff to fight for next year! I dont understand why HotS has such an underwhelming following!
On January 20 2016 19:00 Slydie wrote: Is this the death of teamliquid Heroes of the Storm? The duran brothers were the core of the team, firing everyone else just a few months back...
I hope they keep a team! Blizzard will make sure there is stuff to fight for next year! I dont understand why HotS has such an underwhelming following!
Can't speak for anyone else, but for me watching and playing it after being a part of dota 2 for so long, it felt like I was hanging out in the kiddie pool. Maybe I just didn't play for long enough, but it did nothing to keep me interested and I couldn't feel any real depth.
Sad it wasn't someone interesting like Idra, not that I held any real hope. But Vortix was a solid foreign Zerg so will be interesting to see how he does upon his return.
EPT![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/shiroiusagi/tlpro/articles/2016/0111_vortixluci_photo.png)
. Really hyped to see Vortix play sc2 again, especially for TL. I think he will go to the very top of the foreign scene. Too bad he won't play at Leipzig yet.
