Blizzard has flicked the switch on local servers for its in-alpha MOBA, Heroes of the Storm, and sent out a new wave of invites to players in New Zealand and Australia.

The servers are based in Sydney, and all players in the region will connect to them automatically.

The new Sydney-based Heroes of the Storm servers are the latest move in a drive from Blizzard for more local infrastructure for Kiwi and Aussie gamers. In March, Blizzard launched local servers for Diablo III, which have reduced latency for players considerably.

Players who haven't opted to participate in the technical alpha can do so by visiting the Heroes of the Storm official website.

Heroes of the Storm ANZ server FAQ:

Q: What benefits will local servers have for Heroes of the Storm players in Australia and New Zealand?

A: By hosting Heroes of the Storm game servers in Australia, players located in Australia and New Zealand should benefit from improved gameplay responsiveness and a better gameplay experience.

Q: Will I still be able to play with my friends who are on servers in the Americas?

A: Yes. Because the Australian Heroes of the Storm game servers will communicate with the servers in the Americas, you will be able to seamlessly play with friends who are there. Your friends list is powered by Battle.net, not the local game servers, so you’ll still be able to easily group up and chat with friends in the Americas.

Q: Will I need to level up from scratch, pay any fees, or register to transfer?

A: No. Because the local Heroes of the Storm game servers will be linked with the existing Americas region, all characters, gold earned, and progress will be unaffected. The introduction of Australian servers will be completely invisible to local players (no separate Australian server dropdown menu will be displayed), with the immediate benefit of providing a smoother, more responsive gameplay experience.

Q: Where are the servers physically located?

A: The local Heroes of the Storm game servers will be hosted within a data centre in Sydney, Australia.

Q: When will local servers be available?

A: Local Heroes of the Storm game servers are available now!

Q: Does this mean other Blizzard games will also be getting local servers?

A: Blizzard Entertainment is committed to providing our players around the world with the best possible experiences. We will continue to explore optimal server solutions for all of our franchises in each region.