More than $500,000 in tuition and other prizes up for grabs
Follow the action live on ESPN networks, fill out brackets on HeroesoftheDorm.com, and win big
IRVINE, Calif.—January 28, 2016—Student gamers across the United States and Canada are hereby invited to storm the Nexus as proud representatives of their schools in Blizzard Entertainment and Tespa’s 2016 Heroes of the Dorm™ competition! Featuring Blizzard’s acclaimed online team brawler Heroes of the Storm ™, Heroes of the Dorm is the ultimate collegiate esports tournament, bringing together gamers from colleges and universities coast-to-coast in a celebration of teamwork, sportsmanship, and friendly competition—with members of the winning team earning free tuition for the rest of their college career! Eligible students can create or join a team today by heading to www.heroesofthedorm.com. Esports fans will be able to follow the action on ESPN networks, who will once again deliver live coverage of the events on television and digital platforms—including early rounds on ESPN3 and the Heroic Four and Grand Finals telecast on ESPN2. Viewers will also have a chance to cheer on their favorite schools and win prizes of their own in the Heroes of the Dorm bracket challenge, which kicks off in the weeks ahead. Altogether, more than $500,000 in tuition and other prizes is on the line as part of this year’s event.“Last year’s Heroes of the Dorm was an amazing experience for the students playing and everyone watching, and we’re excited to again offer college athletes an epic opportunity to team up and compete for scholarships in 2016,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “It’s inspiring to see players from last year’s championship team, the UC Berkeley Golden Bears, now thriving in pro esports careers—we look forward to seeing how this year’s competitors shape the future of competitive gaming.” Makin’ It Rain Tuition Money (and More)
When the Grand Finals conclude and the 2016 Heroes of the Dorm champion is crowned, each player on the winning team will walk away with up to $75,000 in tuition for their college career. Students interested in playing in this year’s tournament should get their teams together quickly—registration is open now through February 18, with online qualifiers taking place between February 20 and March 6. To create or join a team, or to find complete official rules, eligibility details, and prizing details, visit www.heroesofthedorm.com.
Watch Live on ESPN Networks
The inaugural Heroes of the Dorm tournament in 2015 marked the first time in history that a collegiate esports event was telecast live on ESPN2. Teams from more than 460 schools battled through grueling elimination rounds on a quest to claim the championship. All the intense action of this year’s Heroes of the Dorm competition, starting with the Round of 64, will be available for viewing, live on digital platforms and on television, through a renewed agreement with ESPN. The Round of 64, Round of 32, Round of 16, and Round of 8 portions of the tournament will be streamed live on ESPN3 across digital platforms and also on Twitch and YouTube™, and the “Heroic Four” and Grand Finals showdown will take place in front of a live audience and will be aired on ESPN2 on April 9 and 10—be sure to watch live, because this is an esports event you won’t want to miss!
Tournament Stage Date Where to Watch Live
Round of 64 March 19 ESPN3, Twitch, YouTube
Round of 32 March 20 ESPN3, Twitch, YouTube
Round of 16 March 26 ESPN3, Twitch, YouTube
Round of 8 March 27 ESPN3, Twitch, YouTube
Heroic Four April 9 ESPN2
Grand Finals April 10 ESPN2
Play the Heroes of the Dorm Bracket Challenge
ESPN coverage of the event will also be available online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through connected devices. Additional programming details, including when you can watch VODs on YouTube of any matches you may have missed, will be announced in the weeks ahead.
Even if you’re not a college student, you’ll still be able to show your school spirit—and compete for a shot at winning some great prizes in the process—by participating in this year’s Heroes of the Dorm bracket challenge. The bracket challenge invites esports fans around the world to predict which of the top 64 teams will emerge victorious, and then share their brackets with friends and rivals, with $10,000 USD going to the most accurate bracket. More information on this year’s bracket challenge, including rules and complete prizing information, will be announced closer to the start of the Round of 64.
Heroes of the Storm brings together a diverse cast of iconic characters from Blizzard’s far-flung realms of science fiction and fantasy, including the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo®universes, and challenges them to compete in epic, adrenaline-charged battles. To learn more about Heroes of the Storm, head over to the official website at www.heroesofthestorm.com.
With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently available—visit http://jobs.blizzard.com for more information and to learn how to apply.
