Bucking the MOBA trend: Why S2 Games takes storytelling ‘seriously’ in Strife (exclusive)

If you compare the most popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, the last thing players will tell you about them are their stories. After all, spending time wondering why the pint-sized Teemo, armed with little more than a blowgun, is fighting against a fearsome inter-dimensional foe like Cho’Gath won’t help you win your battles.

Heroes of Newerth developer S2 Games thinks it can keep players engaged from both a gameplay and storytelling standpoint with Strife (releasing in 2014 on PC, with a beta test planned for the fall). A few months ago, the company gave us a quick summary of Strife’s plot during a hands-on preview event. But recently, in an exclusive interview with GamesBeat, lore creator and hero concept artist Chad LaForce further explained the type of narrative he’s building with Strife and how the studio plans to keep it fresh and relevant for players.