Heroes Of The Storm Lead Dev Has 1 Message For Fans: “No More Copium”

Published Sep 14, 2026, 10:57 AM EDT An interview with a Heroes Of The Storm dev about its comeback, the years of “copium", and what could come next. “Hopefully, There’s No More Copium”: Heroes Of The Storm Lead Dev On The Game's Comeback For years, Heroes of the Storm felt like one of Blizzard's forgotten children. The game remained online, but after Blizzard announced in 2022 that it would only receive necessary updates, a major comeback seemed increasingly unlikely. Then, this year, Blizzard started making noise again. After its first major update in years arrived in July, Heroes of the Storm returned to the BlizzCon stage with something fans hadn't seen since 2020: a brand-new hero. Xal'atath, the Harbinger of the Void from World of Warcraft, will arrive September 28, with PTR access beginning September 14. In a roundtable with lead game producer James Yen, we spoke about why Xal'atath was chosen, how her role changed during development, and whether her arrival could be the beginning of something much bigger for Heroes of the Storm. Xal'atath Was Almost A Support Hero Blizzard Xal'atath might seem like an obvious fit for Heroes of the Storm, given her role as a major World of Warcraft character, but the version players are getting wasn't always the plan. “Originally, in the design, we wanted her to be a support character,” Yen said. That idea didn't quite survive. “While we were playtesting that, we were like, hmm, the fun isn't all the way there.” The team ultimately moved toward making Xal'atath a ranged assassin, which gives her more opportunities to manipulate the battlefield while leaning into her darker personality. “She just has this vibe that is very Heroes,” Yen said. “She's dark, sassy, and the team was looking at it like, what would be cool is putting her in and playing off that sassy vibe.” That also gave the team plenty of room to interpret the character rather than simply recreate her World of Warcraft abilities. Blizzard Is Watching What Happens Next Xal'atath is more than a new character after six years without one. She's also something of a test for Heroes of the Storm. The game's meta has had years to mature without new heroes, meaning Xal'atath could have a significant impact once players get their hands on her. “I definitely think it'll shake things up,” Yen said. But Blizzard isn't simply looking at balance. The team wants to see whether players will return, keep playing, and bring their friends along. “We're really looking at it as a sustainable model,” Yen said. “We'll adjust as we go.” The future of Heroes could ultimately depend on what happens after Xal'atath launches. “A lot of what has happened for people, they think that Heroes is not there anymore,” Yen said. “And now that we've kind of made a statement, hopefully they can come back and enjoy it.” The Copium Might Finally Be Running Out Xal'atath's announcement was particularly interesting because Heroes of the Storm fans have spent years joking about ‘copium’: the idea that Blizzard might eventually return to the game despite all evidence suggesting otherwise. When I asked Yen about this and what he would say to fans who had spent years waiting for a sign that Heroes might actually receive meaningful development again, he laughed. “I love the copium memes,” Yen said. “Hopefully, there's no more copium.” For the team, the BlizzCon announcement was a chance to finally give those fans something concrete after years of speculation. “We've been saying all BlizzCon: we love you, we hear you,” Yen said. “I wouldn't be here representing Heroes anymore if that wasn't the case.” Naturally, that raises the biggest question: What happens if players do come back? Yen wasn't ready to reveal Blizzard's plans, but he did leave the door open. “I don't have anything to share,” he said when asked about potential heroes arriving alongside Blizzard's other upcoming projects. “Johanna did mention there might be a new hero on the way, so that's all I can say.” For now, the team wants to focus on the players who stuck around through the game's quiet years. “We would like to do all of that,” Yen said when asked about future heroes, maps, and systems. “But with the plan and with reception, we'll continue to focus on the players.” That's perhaps the most important thing to understand about Heroes of the Storm right now. Blizzard isn't promising that Xal'atath will suddenly kick off a return to the game's old development schedule. Instead, it's giving the community something new and waiting to see what happens. Yen, at least, isn’t worried about whether fans would show up. “I know the Heroes fans,” he said. “They're just so passionate.” After six years, Xal'atath is finally giving them a reason to come back. Heroes of the Storm Systems Released June 2, 2015 ESRB t Developer(s) Blizzard Entertainment Publisher(s) Blizzard Entertainment Engine Proprietary Engine Multiplayer Online Multiplayer