StarCraft 2 junkies anxious to get a taste of the next installment can get a little hands-on tease in June if they're attending the Major League Gaming's (MLG) Pro Circuit Spring Championship event. It will take place from June 8 to June 10 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California and feature a large number of public demo stations that will allow attendees to try out the latest multiplayer build of Heart of the Swarm in advance of the upcoming beta test.
Say what? A beta test is coming soon? Unfortunately, Blizzard didn't offer any additional details concerning that little golden nugget, but instead talked about the "expansion set" in general.
"Heart of the Swarm is the first expansion set to Blizzard Entertainment's sci-fi real-time strategy game StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty," the company said on Friday. "The expansion will feature an all-new single-player campaign that will allow players to evolve their swarms with unique, campaign-only units and abilities. Kerrigan, the former Queen of Blades, will play a major role in each of the campaign battles as a powerful hero. Over the course of the campaign, she'll grow in strength and earn potent new abilities. New multiplayer units and maps will add new dimensions of strategic gameplay, and the expansion will include new features and upgrades to the Battle.net online platform."
As for the MLG event in June, Blizzard says StarCraft 2 pro-gamers from around the world will battle for $76,000 in prize money at MLG's Spring Championship with the first place finisher taking home $25,000. The Anaheim event will also feature the USA national finals for Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft 2 World Championship Series.
"Participants in the USA Nationals will vie for $30,000 in prize money as well as invitations to the upcoming North America continental finals of the StarCraft 2 World Championship Series," Blizzard said. "The top finishers in that event will represent their countries in StarCraft 2 at the Battle.net World Championship event taking place later this year in Asia."
Details on attending the MLG Spring Championship are available here. The pass costs $35, and is not game-specific, allowing spectators to watch everything from the time doors open on Friday afternoon, to the end of the competition on Sunday night. But is an early hands-on with Heart of the Swarm worth the $35 if you're really not into watching the eSports?
Those who can't make it in person can still catch all the action via live streams online, Blizzard said.
