u/Adventurous_Disk_828

I thought that there might be interesting parallels to be made between Rogue Core's expedite upgrades and the talent system from Heroes of the Storm, especially considering how HotS's talent system has changed over the years.

• Disclaimer: this is NOT a criticism of Rogue Core's system! I played HotS a lot so this has been on my mind since forever and I wanted to get it out. That's all!

Some background:

• In HotS you earn experience to unlock 'talents' as upgrades.
• Experience earned by each player goes into a "pool" that is shared by everyone on a team.
• Rogue Core is kinda similar: exponite upgrades are the most frequent form of upgrades, which you unlock as a team from earning exponite.
• HotS had many generic talents at the beginning, but slowly moved to hero- and ability-specific talents over the years.

Some quotes from HotS dev interviews:

• Interviewer: Can you talk me through the final decision to get rid of any "Blood for Blood" or "Envenom" talents, even in the hero like Kerrigan, that was, at one point, defined by both of those talents?
  • Neyman (dev): When we were first putting the talent system into Heroes of the Storm, back in the first BlizzCon when it was playable, we really settled on the talent system kind of late in the the game developing process and we decided, "Wow, we need to make a lot of talents for a lot of these hero kits that were already fully-fleshed out." So we created a lot of "generic talents" that would be applicable to multiple Heroes and they worked great at the time but as we continue to develop more and more heroes we found that we would have, not only greater control over the balance of the hero, but also we could create more interesting, very unique and kind of fun interactive things that inherently kind of felt like you were playing Kerrigan as opposed to just having a "poison dot." It wasn't particularly thematic for the character. Over time, as we've gone into reworks if we think it makes sense we don't have to always remove (an older talent) if it's working well. We still have Block on a number of characters and that's fine because we think it serves its purpose. For Kerrigan be basically thought we had better replacements or more interesting replacements to really reinforce the play style of the character to begin with. We thought we could create more interesting talents so we don't have anything inherently against these talents in particular but we always thought we have better ideas as we've gone through reworks through the years. (https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/6220/hots-dev-on-kerrigan-rework-i-think-people-who-really-want-to-master-kerrigan-can-show-off-what-they-want-to-do-with-her-now?utm\_source=chatgpt.com)
• Interviewer: You have been and still are removing or editing neutral talents like Cleanse, MULE, bolt etc. Can you further explain your problems with these talents? And also why for instance, you edit bolt for each character and have it stay in the game that way but sprint is no longer in the game and MULE is only on Abathur? Thanks in advance, it is very much appreciated that you take feedback like this.
  • Dev: Our philosophy is that if we should try to incorporate generic talents to fit a hero's kit and fantasy so that those talents feel more unique and exciting. I think Diablo's Hellgate is a perfect example. Sprint no longer exists because it was OP on the heroes who had them, like Jaina and Kerrigan. We now provide movement speed via other talents, where appropriate. (https://www.icy-veins.com/forums/topic/44627-heroes-of-the-storm-ama-recap-july-19th/?utm\_source=chatgpt.com)

hello I'm scout from deep rock galactic.

The content of the email is as follows:

Dear Kwiggler,

Today I’m writing to tell you about important changes at Kwiggle®Bike GmbH, how this came about, and what the future holds.

Unfortunately, Kwiggle®Bike GmbH had to file for bankruptcy earlier this year.

The Kwiggles® are now sold out. However, to ensure the business can continue, Kwiggle®Bike GmbH has sold its key assets to upride GmbH as part of an investment process, and upride GmbH will now relaunch the business under the upride® brand. The upride shop will open shortly.

With your consent, I will forward your contact information to upride GmbH so that you can receive further information from upride® in the future. By clicking the button below, you consent to your customer data being transferred from Kwiggle®Bike GmbH to upride GmbH. If you have sold your Kwiggle, you can also use the link to provide us with the buyer’s contact information.

[hyperlink to webpage]

The future upride® will undergo a fundamental redesign. A significantly sturdier frame with a maximum gross weight of 120 kg will be installed. This frame will no longer be welded but instead joined using modern high-performance composite materials. Fatigue strength tests show at least 10 times higher endurance capacity. In addition, there will be further adjustments that upride GmbH considers important: a more comfortable saddle with a longer nose, a second version with an extended wheelbase that is still locker-compatible, and soon an e-version as well. These adjustments are intended to make riding and handling easier, more comfortable, and safer.

From the very beginning, upride GmbH and the investor have made it clear that they do not assume any warranty promises, warranty obligations, or other risks from Kwiggle®Bike GmbH.

What does this mean for you?

upride GmbH will offer service for your Kwiggle®; spare parts will continue to be available for the components installed in the upride®; and anyone who wishes to do so will certainly soon be able to order corresponding upgrades with the aforementioned changes from upride®.

If you’d like, you can already sign up for the newsletter on the upride® website: www.upride.eu

Although the website is currently still under construction, you can already sign up for the newsletter.

The contact email address for upride GmbH is: hello@upride.eu

All of you who are still interested in the Insights with a bit of Kwiggle history can view them in the attached PDF.

It is my greatest wish that this continues. Your many enthusiastic responses and positive messages reinforce my conviction that my invention can continue to make a meaningful contribution to the future world of mobility. I will continue to support upride GmbH.

I would be delighted if you could also view this development positively and give the product idea and upride GmbH your support and a second chance.

I believe upride® makes a strong statement for a sustainable future.

Thank you very much for your support.

With warm regards

Yours, Karsten Bettin

Kwiggle®Bike GmbH
Altenbekener Damm 61
30173 Hannover
Hannover Local Court
HRB 209470

There was also a PDF attached:

A Little Kwiggle Story

Exclusively for you, our loyal Kwiggle customers, I’ve written down a little behind-the-scenes Kwiggle story:
Kwiggle is an unusual, but also unique name. The “K” was meant to symbolize the shape of the Kwiggle, and the “wiggle” the act of riding it. Marketing experts later viewed the name critically. They said it was too playful; a serious product should be marketed under a different name. They may have been right. We, too, have noticed that the name doesn’t necessarily come across as premium to customers. And perhaps you feel that as well when you show your Kwiggle to others. But changing the name after the market launch was not an option.

After all, the original idea behind the bike was to ride upright. The wiggling wasn’t the main focus at first. But the swinging saddle is, of course, the key to the experience—and something you really enjoy. With the upride® brand, we’re now going back to our roots.
Kwiggle®Bike GmbH was founded in early 2013, after patent protection was granted for the German patents. In 2014, we attended Eurobike for the first time and presented the concept. Looking back, it was quite a bold move to show up there with a DIY store prototype. But I needed feedback on whether the concept might be of interest. The huge interest gave me the courage to keep going. In 2014 and 2015, I then developed the current design with the 12-inch wheels, aiming to keep it carry-on compatible and under 10 kg. Every millimeter and every gram counted. An estimated thousand design and, later, manufacturing hurdles had to be overcome. This led me to the realization: If you think long enough about a solution, you’ll find one.

The result was special, and in some cases unique, manufacturing processes, which were then used in the summer of 2016 to create the first prototype of the current design. Now I could speak with the press and search for suppliers, primarily in Germany, and if no one could be found there, also across Europe and worldwide, to turn the complex articulated structure into a manufacturable product. It had to remain lightweight and compact, and that meant then as now: extremely high demands on the material, minimal manufacturing tolerances, and outstanding workmanship.

Starting in 2016, a lot of testing and further improvements were needed; additional options such as 3- and 6-speed gear systems had to be developed, and so on. This process, leading up to the first market-ready product, actually continued until 2019. All in all, a very long time to bring a product to market. And still a lot, lot of work. Whenever I did have doubts during all those busy nights, I would sit on the prototypes, ride a few laps through the night, and immediately knew again: Yes, this is it.

Of course, all of this also requires money. And after the first Kwiggle® bikes were delivered at the end of 2019, Kwiggle®Bike GmbH therefore brought in silent partners in 2020 who provided funding for a major production expansion and gained a say in key decisions. This helped us greatly to build up inventory, professionalize production, and meet the rising demand that surged after the COVID-19 lockdown starting in mid-2022. By then, however, prices had also risen due to inflation, but we didn’t dare to raise our prices accordingly. In hindsight, that may have been a mistake, even though we were able to save some costs through increased production efficiency. With such high material costs, you simply have to charge slightly higher prices to stay afloat.

Since October 2022, we have been installing the Schlumpf SpeedDrive transmission in the 6-speed version of the Kwiggle. We very quickly became the largest customer of the transmission manufacturer, Haberstock Mobility GmbH. In the summer of 2023, Haberstock ceased production and transferred all operations to Kwiggle®Bike GmbH. Since then, we have manufactured all transmissions for ourselves as well as for Haberstock’s private and corporate customers and sold them on behalf of Haberstock.

2024 was our best year, and we had big plans. Since early 2025, we had been in intensive discussions with another investor who wanted to advance our project, particularly toward a more professional market presence and the development of an e-version. We had already signed a preliminary agreement in the summer of 2025, but unfortunately, we were unable to align the interests of all parties in a timely manner, so that ultimately, by the end of 2025, the investment fell through.

This was bad news for Kwiggle®Bike GmbH in terms of further growth. And then, somewhat unexpectedly, two things happened at once: significantly lower winter sales figures and unexpectedly higher bills (including substantially higher utility costs for the production hall), so I was forced to file for insolvency.

Then, of course, other players entered the picture, and we had to hit the brakes on everything for the time being. The investor took it in stride, and so, based on the investor’s directive, upride GmbH is now on the market under the upride® brand. The brand will be positioned even more toward the premium segment (higher payload, greater comfort and riding safety, e-version), production will become even more complex, and the price must be raised accordingly.

I think upride® makes a strong statement for a sustainable future. It embodies an upright posture and overcomes the hunched-over stance. upride® is more than just a ride, because it overcomes the range limitations of cycling—it can be taken along and stowed in any mode of transportation.

Finally, here are a few interesting figures for you: There are now more than 3,300 Kwiggles worldwide, 76% of them in Germany and 16% in the rest of Europe. Revenue over the last 3 years has consistently ranged between 1 and 1.5 million euros.

On average, each Kwiggle requires about 3 hours of assembly and 1 hour of manufacturing time at our production site; a total of 350 individual parts and components are delivered to our production site for manufacturing and assembly from 35 industrial suppliers for Kwiggle-specific parts and 30 additional suppliers for other parts and components. We manage the entire purchasing, manufacturing, and sales process—from ordering raw materials through the processing stages in Germany and Italy to final assembly at our production site and worldwide shipping. Similarly, we also manage the entire operations of Haberstock Mobility GmbH for the production of Schlumpf bottom-bracket gear systems for our own use (6-speed Kwiggle) as well as for Haberstock Mobility GmbH’s many third-party customers, involving an additional 300 individual parts. upride GmbH will soon fully consolidate this business under the upride® brand as well.

I would be delighted if you would continue to support upride®. The E-upride® is scheduled to be delivered by spring 2027 at the latest. Anyone interested in making a further investment is welcome to contact upride®.

Yours,
Karsten Bettin

(I apologize if the PDF text has errors; copying and pasting didn’t work so well for some reason.)