Following a tweet from Heroes of Newerth’s profile, it became clear that the New HoN Reborn is now available. The game is still in Alpha and will only be available to those who receive an exclusive invite or have purchased early content as part of the games’ “Genesis Campaign.” Here’s what you should know:
Image Credit: Garena/Kongor Studios
Dota Competitor Heroes of Newerth Reborn Enters Alpha
Official HoN social media accounts posted on Friday, May 16, that the Heroes of Newerth: Reborn is finally available in Alpha. HoN Reborn is described as a modern version of the classic game that “aims to blend nostalgia for old players” while also adding new features and changes for the new audience.
Based on our information, HoN: Reborn will be a free-to-play MOBA developed by Kongor Studios in conjunction with Garena. Kongor Studios has former S2 games developers and community members, whereas Garena is the name behind games like Free Fire – and the rights holders and owners of HoN. The newest HoN game will be built with the Juvio Engine, which allegedly means better performance, graphics, and a new kind of multiplayer experience.
The game will apparently feature:
- 80+ heroes – The devs picked 80 of the most popular heroes and will keep adding new ones after the launch.
- Lightning-Fast Gameplay
- Revamped Audio & Visuals
- Mighty Phoenix – This is a new boss character
- New Mechanics
- New Emotes
- Role Queue
Heroes of Newerth: Reborn will be the inaugural title for the Juvio platform. This is a switch from the previously criticized iGames platform. However, a quick google suggests that Juvio is still hosted on the iGames site, and is linked to that platform.
Juvio is hosted on the same website as iGames
Additionally, HoN Reborn has drawn further criticism for its requirements for funding. Rather than using a traditional funding site like Kickstarter, HoN: Reborn is asking fans to invest via its Juvio platform, stating:
“By purchasing content early, you are assisting Heroes of Newerth development by giving Kongor Studios, LLC access to much needed capital. All funds raised by Genesis Campaigns remain in the Juvio platform and are not withdrawable by Project Owners until the game has been completed, published and rewards distributed.”
While this is standard for funding apps like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, the fact it’s being by the new Juvio and iGames funding platform is questionable. As mentioned in previous HoN: Reborn coverage, the iGames platform is reportedly owned by S2Maliken, a disgraced former HoN developer.