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StarCraft 2 Universe Launches! For continued coverage on all things StarCraft including StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty and more, see the newly launched StarCraft 2 Universe! More >
BlizzCon Ticket Sales Detailed Entry passes for BlizzCon 2010 go on sale on the event's web site Wednesday, June 2 with a second set coming Saturday, June 5 for $150 each. Mark your calendars! More >
Oblivion Abodes Pairing citizens of Cyrodiil with homes since year 433!
SC2 Beta Screenshots An exclusive gallery of screenshots from the on-going StarCraft II Beta Test.
Battle Report IV Yeon-Ho Lee (Protoss) and David Kim (Terran) face off on the jungle map of Lost Temple in the fourth Battle Report, Blizzard Entertainment's special e-sportscasting featurette showing off the latest look and features of StarCraft II as we wait for the Beta to premier.
Retail versions of the game are priced lower with the stipulation that after six months, players will have to subscribe for multi-player access. The suggested retail price is about US$25~30 varying between countries, while the standard version of the game in the United States will be US$59.99.
StarCraft� II: Wings of Liberty�, will be fully localized into Latin American Spanish and will be available in Mexico, Argentina, and Chile for a suggested retail price of $299 MXN / $119 ARS / $13,900 CLP. With this purchase, players will have six months of access to the StarCraft II single-player campaign and multiplayer play through the new version of Battle.net�, the premier online gaming destination for Blizzard Entertainment gamers. Continued StarCraft II play beyond the time included with the initial purchase will be available via 30-day and 60-day subscription options. Pricing for these options will be announced at a later date.
An unlimited version, presumably offering lifetime access to Battle.net, will also be available for purchase online and directly from Blizzard Entertainment.
Players who prefer to make a one-time payment for unlimited access to the StarCraft II single-player campaign and multiplayer play on Battle.net will have the option to purchase and download an unlimited-access version of the game directly from Blizzard Entertainment at pricing similar to the US price of $59.99USD.
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is set for worldwide release on July 27, 2010. Read on for the full press release.
Specialty gaming peripheral designer Razer, known best for their extra-sensitive mouses, partnered with Blizzard Entertainment to bring a new set branded on StarCraft II. They are not available for order just yet, but the product site now details all the special features included.
The new set includes the Spectre mouse (US$79.99), Marauder keyboard ($119.99), and Banshee headset ($119.99). All of the devices come wired, as opposed to offering wireless Bluetooth options.
At a steep price, the peripherals each come with a special lighting system. This special feature is highly customizable and changes the glowing display of each based on your in-game APM (Actions Per Minute) as well as on events such as when one's base is under attack.
The APM-Lighting System is part of all our Starcraft II Peripherals. Starcraft II measures your effective APM ingame and our peripherals will draw that data and will change lighting accordingly. In addition to that it will also register any in game alerts like "Base under attack" or "Unit Built" and each of the alerts can have individual lighting settings that will be reflected on your peripherals. See below for examples.
One wonders how much players will pay attention to anything outside of their screens in the heat of battle, but this gear certainly adds a hint of luxury to the gaming experience. In the age of ubiquitous case mods, it might go so far as to reach into fashion.
There were only three people aboard the dropship. The pilot, Feek, who was acting as jump master, and Lance Corporal Jim Raynor. Tychus had offered to come along and shove his friend into the abyss, but Raynor had declined.
Five extremely busy days had passed since his meeting with Tychus, and now, with Colonel Vanderspool's blessing, Raynor was about to drop into Kel-Morian-held territory alone. It was a stupid, stupid thing to do, and he knew that now. But maybe, just maybe, the mission was a way to atone for stealing the trucks. And it was something he knew his parents would be proud of.
The novel, which explores the history of StarCraft II lead characters Jim Raynor and Tychus Findlay, came out in early April. A special limited edition version is available now for US$30, but a regular release can be acquired for significantly cheaper from other retailers.
Watch the New StarCraft II TV Spot[ Comment ] 2:09 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: StarCraft 2 - FilesAs we previously reported, Blizzard Entertainment debut a new StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty TV advertisement during the NBA game between the Celtics and the Lakers. Now you can watch it on the company's official YouTube channel for the series.
The cinematic features only pre-rendered scenes and several sights never seen before in previous preview trailers.
We laughed, we cried, we covered our eyes, we moved to the music, and we stared (wide-eyed) in wonder at the marvelous visions displayed throughout this contest.
In the end, there were more outstanding submissions than we could have hoped for. Even so, there were those that rose above their fellows.
Without further ado, we are pleased to announce your winners. Congratulations to Peter Stoll! You've won a new Samsung LCD 46" 1080p LCD HDTV! We would also like to congratulate, Ryan Humphries, Richard H Wang and Caleb Koch. Each of whom has won a new Samsung 32" 1080p LCD HDTV!
And for the European winners...
Without further ado, we are pleased to announce your winners. Congratulations to Markus Frank! You've won a new Samsung LCD 46" 1080p LCD HDTV! We would also like to congratulate Peter Leopold, Александр, and Tomasz Lenarcik. Each of whom has won a new Samsung 32" 1080p LCD HDTV!
The Celtics play the Lakers beginning 9 P.M. EST and 6 P.M. PST, and the TV ad will be part of the game's second quarter commercials. Time to rev up those DVRs!
On Thursday, June 10, a new StarCraft II TV spot featuring never-before-seen cinematic footage will air during the second quarter of game four of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Lakers. The thirty-second spot features voice-overs from two iconic characters in StarCraft II, and is cut from the pre-rendered cinematic sequences found throughout the game. Check it out during the ABC broadcast beginning this Thursday at 9 p.m. Eastern or 6 p.m. Pacific time.
Catch the ad? Tell us what you think by hitting the Comment link!
The company has yet to release numbers on ticket sales, but we expect a press release soon and a figure near 30,000.
As previously reported, Blizzard Entertainment sold tickets to the convention in two batches on the online Blizzard Store on June 2 and June 5. At US$150 each, this is the most expensive BlizzCon ever. The purchase limit allowed five tickets per billing address.
From purchase until June 20, those who were able to score entry passes have the chance to modify the names associated with each ticket. Since tickets must be picked up at the event with valid personal identification, we urge fans to watch this deadline carefully.
BlizzCon is Blizzard Entertainment's official convention now held annually at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. The next event occurs October 22-23, 2010 and may reveal the next-generation MMOG the company is currently developing under wraps. Attendees have the opportunity to play in-development game demos, quiz the developers, peruse the special event merchandise, and take part in both live and lead-up contests.
"Customers are in pursuit of the best online gaming experience, and we are aware of the diverse nature of their needs and priorities," said Brendan Ives, Vice President and Head of International Sales, TeliaSonera International Carrier. "We are striving to provide complete solutions for our customers, enabling the best gaming experience possible, as we look to become the provider of choice to the online gaming industry."
"For years, TeliaSonera International Carrier has been providing high-quality, low-latency connectivity, helping us deliver great online-gaming experiences to our players across Europe," said Paul Sams, Chief Operating Officer of Blizzard Entertainment. "As we prepare for the upcoming launch of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty� and the new Battle.net, we're pleased to be working with a carrier that can provide the speed and reliability our European players expect."
European gamers rest assured, you now know who to contact when the inevitable initial service hiccups and lag issues arise at the launch of StarCraft II this July.
StarCraft 2 Beta Extended to June 7[ Comment ] 22:26 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: StarCraft 2 - Battle.net - BetaGood news for all the lucky participants: The current phase of the StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty Beta Test has been extended until June 7 and will not go offline at the previously scheduled May 31 cutoff. Blizzard revealed this on the Battle.net forums.
We previously announced that the first phase of the StarCraft II beta test would be coming to a close in all regions on Monday, May 31. In order to prepare for the final phase of beta testing, we plan to extend the current phase in all regions until Monday, June 7. After this date, the beta test will be unavailable for several weeks while we make some hardware and software configuration changes for the final phase of the beta test and the release of the game. We plan to bring the beta test back online for a couple of weeks prior to the game�s launch to complete our testing. We�ll have more details to share about when this final phase will begin at a later date.
We�d like to thank all of our beta-test participants for your enthusiasm, dedication, and valuable feedback during the beta test, and we look forward to hearing more of your thoughts on the StarCraft II beta test as the game�s July 27 launch approaches.
Blizzard has stated that the beta will be back for a second period of testing "a couple weeks prior" to the game's final release on Tuesday, July 27. Presumably it will be available for testing in each of the regions currently involved.
Are you a huge StarCraft fan? Have you been anxiously awaiting this sequel for over ten years? Do you have burning questions to ask the developers and producers of the game? Well, here's your chance.
Here's how it works: 1. Upload a 30 second video of yourself asking anything StarCraft related.
2. Check out other videos in the gallery below, let us know which ones you like or don't.
3. After June 4th, we'll compile the videos and send them to Blizzard Entertainment for review.
4. Blizzard will pick their favorite clips and create a Amazon.com exclusive video, incorporating your questions with their answers.
There doesn't appear to be a prize in addition to getting one's questions answered and being featured in the "exclusive video" so it appears the retailer is drawing attention to its offering of pre-orders.
Tickets are expected to sell out extremely fast, so Blizzard Entertainment is offering a second set just three days later on the morning of Saturday, June 5.
The company is also once again partnering with DIRECTV to broadcast live from the event for those who can't attend or miss their chance to get tickets
"BlizzCon is a unique opportunity for our players to meet one another, strengthen the friendships they've formed online, and have a great time celebrating a shared passion for gaming together with Blizzard employees," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "For those who can't attend, we're pleased to be providing an unprecedented level of access to the activities and attractions that BlizzCon has to offer."
The event of the year is set for October 22-23 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. BlizzCon hosts many thousands of Blizzard fans eager to try out games currently in development, meet the developers, watch pro-gamer tournaments including StarCraft II, and get the latest and greatest in Blizzard merchandise.
We'd like to let all of our StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty beta test participants know that the first phase of the beta test will be coming to an end in all regions on Monday, May 31. The beta test will be unavailable for several weeks while we make some hardware and software configuration changes in preparation for the final phase of the beta test and the release of the game. We plan to bring the beta test back online for a couple of weeks prior to the game's launch to complete our testing. We'll have more details to share about when this final beta-testing phase will begin at a later date.
We'd like to thank all of our beta-test participants for your enthusiasm, dedication, and valuable feedback during the beta test, and we look forward to hearing more of your thoughts on the StarCraft II beta test as the game's July 27 launch approaches.
Gamers soon to be suffering from withdrawal may be consoled to know that the beta will be returning before the final game's release at the end of July.
Collateral Damage tells the story of the continued power struggle within the Terran race, as an Umojan spy seeks to infiltrate the Dominion to discover the truth behind rumors of a terrifying secret weapon in development.
A crowd stands outside the safe house on Anselm, the people shifting and jostling and craning their necks for a chance to see blood. Pandora pushes past the onlookers and through the battered safe house door, which had been blasted open by a concussive grenade half an hour ago. Slabs of flesh cling to a wall above an almost unrecognizable corpse. The ex-Dominion weapons engineer. The deserter. The man she had promised to keep safe. His wife and daughter huddle nearby, bloody and trembling. Both of them are alive. Not by accident. The daughter's arms are gone below the elbows, the raw stumps carefully dressed by the same men who crippled her. The wife's face has been slashed and disfigured to leave scars that only the most expensive nanite surgery will heal.
To start, you will be able to use the new functionality add your fellow Facebook gamer friends to your Battle.net 2.0 Friend List in StarCraft II. Beta testers will soon get to try this out for themselves.
"We're pleased to be working with Facebook to integrate their platform with Battle.net to enhance the social-entertainment experience for our players," said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. "This new functionality will make it easier than ever to connect with friends on Battle.net and play StarCraft II and future Blizzard Entertainment games together."
The new Facebook functionality in Battle.net will be tested in the near future via the ongoing StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty beta test and will be available to all StarCraft II players when the game ships later this year. Information about other Facebook-related features on Battle.net will be announced at a later date.
Though these details only mention StarCraft II, it is expected that these features will be integrated into Diablo III and other future titles as well.
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