Unable to buy new heroes

So I bought OW1, collectors edition, back in 2016.
Due to the whole situation with Blizzard stringing along players with PvE, despite knowing well ahead that it had been cancelled, Ive decided to not give them any more of my money, especially since I already bought the game back when it wasnt free.
Now I have done some challenges and decided to buy Lifeweaver, but the game claims that I dont have enought currency, and lo and behold, the grinded currency isnt used for heroes.
So am I correct in my understanding that I will never get a new hero again, in a game about swapping heroes, unless I give Blizzard money for a game I already purchased ages ago?

I think you can unlock them through the hero challenges since new players need to unlock even the old heroes like this, and you can always grind the free battlepass to get the hero of the season.

Ilari is free right now if you get far enough in the battlepass.
(I haven’t bought a single hero but have them all)