Blizzard Adds First New Hero to Heroes of the Storm in 6 Years

Xal'atath joins Heroes of the Storm, marking the first new character since Hogger in 2020. She hits the PTR on September 14 and launches September 28.

Did you think Heroes of the Storm was done adding new faces? Think again. Blizzard just announced that Xal'atath, a key figure from World of Warcraft's ongoing story, is coming to the MOBA. This is huge news for fans who've been waiting years for a fresh hero.

The reveal dropped during the BlizzCon Opening Ceremony, and it caught a lot of people off guard. Heroes of the Storm has been pretty quiet since its developers shifted to other projects back in 2022. Aside from balance tweaks and the occasional skin, the game hasn't seen much action. So a brand-new character is a pretty big deal.

Xal'atath will first hit the Public Test Realm on Monday, September 14. That gives you a chance to try her out before she goes live for everyone on September 28. Mark your calendars, because this is the first new hero since Warcraft's Hogger was added back in 2020. That's a six-year gap, folks.

Why Xal'atath? Well, WoW's long-running storylines are moving toward a conclusion that involves her, so the timing makes sense. She's a character with a lot of lore behind her, and bringing her into the Nexus is a cool way to tie the games together. Whether she'll be a one-off addition or the start of something bigger is still up in the air, though.

During the announcement, Blizzard teased that another character could be added in the future. That's not a confirmation, but it's more than we've heard in a while. For a game that's been mostly on maintenance mode, any hint of new content is worth paying attention to.

Let's be real: Heroes of the Storm has been in a weird spot. The community has stuck around, but new content has been scarce. Balance updates and skins have been the bulk of what's changed since Hogger launched. So seeing anything of substance arrive is a welcome change. It might not mean a full revival, but it's a step in the right direction.

If you're a lapsed player, this might be the excuse you need to jump back in. The PTR is a great way to test Xal'atath before she goes live, and you can give feedback to Blizzard. Who knows? Maybe this is the beginning of a new chapter for HotS.

What do you think? Are you excited to try Xal'atath, or is it too little too late? Will you be picking her up when she launches on September 28? Let us know in the comments!