(Update) StarCraft II Multiplayer Beta This Month!
My life for Aiur...er I mean Ner'zhul!
Blizzard has finally thrown up a "preview" of Battle.Net 2.0 over on the official StarCraft II website, a possible sign that the multiplayer beta of Blizzard's upcoming sci-fi themed RTS may be soon on the way. As we reported months ago, the PC game was pushed back in part because of the Battle.Net overhaul, and how it functions within the game. Based on the new preview, that hurdle seems to be overcome.
Unfortunately, the preview doesn't offer anything significantly new--there's nothing we can download and taste for ourselves. Battle.Net will provide an "always on" experience whether you're playing a single-player campaign or battling opponents online. The upgraded service promises better matchmaking with an integrated friends list, reminiscent of Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network where other players can send messages, chat in real time, view your achievements, and more.
Along with the matchamking and social features, Blizzard will introduce Real ID with the revamped service. "Real ID friends are mutual, which means that both sides need to agree to the friend request," the preview states. "Forming Real ID friends comes with its benefits. You will see your Real ID friends by their real name, along with any character they are logged in as. You will also be able to get rich presence information about what they are doing, send broadcast messages, and communicate cross-game between StarCraft II, Battle.net, and World of Warcraft."
Blizzard also covers the mods and community-created content feature, explaining that the new Battle.Net will see major improvements in that area. Blizzard reminded gamers that a content-creation toolkit --the same one used by the game developers--will be available in StarCraft II when released. The new Map Publishing feature in Battle.Net will allow users to upload and share their RTS masterpieces.
UPDATE: Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime said on Wednesday during Activision Blizzard's financial call that the closed multiplayer beta test for StarCraft II will launch later this month. The beta will be available to download from the upgraded Battle.Net service on an as-yet unspecified date. The actual full version is planned to hit store shelves sometime mid-2010. Stay tuned for more.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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JonathanDeane This is one game I have been watching with much interest.... I am still praying they do not release the game in 3 parts at $50 a pop.Reply
If they do that then I will only buy one at a time over an extended period of time.
On the positive side I really want this game :) -
frozenlead In other news, Blizzard continues to ignore the public's requests for LAN support, while teasing them with features they didn't ask for in the first place.Reply -
Kelavarus Gee, 'cause, I always wanted to talk to someone playing World of Warcraft while I was playing Starcraft 2...Reply -
secolliyn JonathanDeaneThis is one game I have been watching with much interest.... I am still praying they do not release the game in 3 parts at $50 a pop. If they do that then I will only buy one at a time over an extended period of time.On the positive side I really want this gameReply
They Are not going to release the 3 games all at once prolly a year aprt for each of them -
Lunarion why doesn't ever just see the 3 separate games as expansions? I'm sure you all will be willing to buy each game.Reply