GamesRadar - StarCraft II

Starcraft: Frontline Vol. 4 Review (News)

Nov 18, 2009

StarcraftWire.net has a review of the latest TOKYOPOP manga based on the award-winning RTS Game Starcraft. The first story in this manga, titled Homecoming, serves as a backstory on the main character marshal-turned-rebel Jim Raynor.

The story ties-in straight into the first mission in Mar Sara at the beginning of Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty's single player. The story written by no other than Blizzard Entertainment's Senior VP of Creative Design Chris Metzen left a cliffhanger that might be exploited and come back to bite fans in the game. Mystery ensues. Did Jim Raynor's son truly die?

Meet StarCraft II's Brutalisk (News)

Nov 15, 2009

Blizzard has spawned a new Zerg strain for StarCraft II, the race's biggest and most brutal, the legendary Brutalisk. So what is this giant monstrosity? And what does it do?

Heroes can hold more items than in World of Warcraft (News)

Nov 15, 2009

With Blizzard having pushed back beta the fans are itching for a bone. Blizzard has updated us through the new Starcraft Twitter that they are working on some web site updates to hold us over that are almost complete. Hopefully we'll see those before long.

What has Blizzard been working on all this time? The fans are ready for beta, why don't we have it? With Blizzard's focus on quality one can only assume that they've come up with a list of "must haves" for Starcraft 2 or Battle.net that they just simply don't want to ship without it...

Wings of Liberty Zerg Unit: Brutalisk (News)

Nov 13, 2009

Blizzard has updated the Starcraft Twitter account with a link to an excellent screenshot of the single player featuring a previously unknown unit called the Brutalisk. This is a prime example of what kind of units we'll be seeing in the single player that were likely removed from the multiplayer at some point. The Brutalisk looks.... awesome.

No StarCraft II beta this year (News)

Nov 9, 2009

Eurogamer writes: "StarCraft II producer Chris Sigaty has confirmed that the game's beta test, promised for late 2009, has been pushed back to 2010.

Sigaty made the announcement during a presentation at Russian games expo IgroMir, according to Goha.ru and fansite StarCraft Legacy."

BlizzCast 11 Released (News)

Nov 1, 2009

The latest Blizzard BlizzCast has been released and this installment focuses on this year's BlizzCon with members of the Blizzard team looking back at this year's big event.

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty – hands-on (Preview)

Oct 16, 2009

Only once you’ve wandered into StarCraft II’s greased-metal cantina and engaged in conversation with embittered mercenaries, or spoken to Jim Raynor’s crew about armour upgrades and the like, do you begin to understand why, and how, the Terran, Protoss and Zerg campaigns will be split into three separate titles. ...

StarCraft II (Screenshots)

Oct 16, 2009

Could the SCII beta be behind a delayed MW2 on PC? (News)

Oct 14, 2009

Speculation of a StarCraft II beta in November suddenly makes sense of rumours of a delay to the launch of Modern Warfare 2 on PC.

With Activision remaining silent on whether the delay will occur, GameArena explores the argument for giving the StarCraft II beta a one-to-two week headstart on Modern Warfare 2's PC release.

Starcraft II Beta Imminent? (News)

Oct 13, 2009

Blizzard Entertainment has set a deadline to convert World of Warcraft accounts to a Battle.net account on or before November 11th. StarCraftWire.net speculates Starcraft II beta is getting closer to be announced.

At BlizzCon 2009, the press kit CD contained images of Battle.net 2.0 interface which showed the Starcraft II friend list and World of Warcraft friend list sharing players among each game via Battle.net.

The reason Starcraft II beta did not start in the summer according to Bob Kotick was that Battle.net 2.0 was not ready.

Starcraft player stabs girl after he can't get online (News)

Oct 12, 2009

He couldn't get online to play Starcraft. He got furious and stabbed a girl.

Blizzard Launches New Site (News)

Oct 1, 2009

Blizzard.com has been updated today with a whole new look that flows with the new Battle.net theme much better than their old version. In addition to their new long over due face lift...

Starcraft 2 Beta Scam (News)

Sep 28, 2009

While Starcraft fans are waiting for hints about the upcoming Starcraft 2 beta, phishing sites are taking the advantage of the situation.

By using a wide network of sites, as YouTube, MySpace and blogging networks, the phishing sites are offering fake Starcraft 2 beta keys or even a downloadable Starcraft 2 beta.

As a result of this, Starcraft fans are tricked.

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty - hands-on (Preview)

Sep 18, 2009

Since the last time we saw StarCraft II, we’ve learned a little more: it’s to be delivered in three distinct packages, with Wings of Liberty focusing on Jim Raynor’s battle against the treacherous Mengsk, whose Dominion is establishing a classic propaganda-spewing dictatorship. ...

TOKYOPOP Starcraft: Frontline Live Chat On Sept 9 (News)

Sep 8, 2009

StarcraftWire.net is interviewing Tokyopop manga-writers on September 9th at 1:00pm PDT to discuss details of Starcraft: Frontline Vol. 4 and welcomes fans to interact in this live chat with the following writers: Paul Benjamin, David Shramek, Josh Elder, David Gerrold, Grace Randolph, Ren Zatopek and Hope Donovan (editor).

Razer shows off StarCraft 2 with exclusive messenger bag (News)

Sep 3, 2009

Razer has acquired the license to create StarCraft 2 branded PC accessories, although what exactly we can expect from that partnership is up in the air. Mice, headsets, and keyboards will be the expected loot, but Razer sent us a preview of the product line with the StarCraft 2 messenger bag.

The image on the front flap is nice, with the embroidered Terran logo, but the real treat is when you open the flap and see a large graphic of a battlefield on the inside of the bag. The product is solidly made, with plenty of padding and pockets for all your mice, keyboards, and even a laptop.

Starcraft 2 - First look at Map Editor (News)

Aug 27, 2009

Just last weekend at Blizzcon during a Starcraft 2 panel, Dustin Browder unveiled some features for the map editor. If you were at Blizzcon or watching via Pay-Per-View, it was amazing and incredibly inspiring to see first hand the power behind the editor. However, if you were fortunate enough to attend Blizzcon then you missed a special presentation for Pay-Pre-Viewers who got an exclusive look at the development area for Starcraft 2. Part of this glimpse includes a look at the editor itself...

Blizzard Plans To Offer Pseudo-LAN Support for Diablo III, Starcraft II (News)

Aug 25, 2009

Blizzard says that Battle.net developers are actively working on a LAN-like solution to include for Battle.net play in StarCraft II and Diablo III.

BlizzCon 2009 in pictures (Feature)

Aug 24, 2009

Maybe you had a date Friday night; maybe you broke both your legs in a freak accident; maybe you hate World of Warcraft. Whatever your excuse for missing BlizzCon this last weekend, you made the wrong choice. ...

Starcraft 2 Map Editor Features Unveiled (News)

Aug 24, 2009

It's been a long road since Starcraft 2 was initially released and Blizzard has continued to say how powerful the editor is but hasn't revealed anything detailed about it. The wait is over. To jump start the development community's ambition and excited for Starcraft 2, Dustin revealed some very nice details about the map editor during the Starcraft 2 gameplay panel including 2 new editors that are...

Starcraft II to have "pseudo-LAN" (News)

Aug 24, 2009

Robert Pardo vice President of game design at Blizzard, responded with amusement that people think this will still be an issue when the game is released. "There are a few legitimate cases that we're going to try and address over time. Location-based tournaments, or let's say I'm in a dorm with a firewall or something like that, hopefully there's a way to determine that and maybe start a peer-to-peer game."

Blizzard: Lack Of StarCraft Lan Is "No Big Deal" (News)

Aug 24, 2009

Kotaku sat down with Blizzard's executive vice president of game design Rob Pardo this weekend to talk Battle.net, but we couldn't resist touching on the subject of the lack of LAN in StarCraft II.

Pardo was in good spirits when we spoke to him yesterday afternoon when I touched on the controversial subject, which has spawned a wave of forum rage and countless petitions calling for the reinstatement of feature. "You're the first person who asked me about that this weekend," he joked. When I asked if the company was still receiving flack over the decision, his good humour continued. "Only from you guys. Only from the press. Everyone else has accepted it."

Once I finished giggling, Rob got down to brass tacks.

Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer Staring In StarCraft II (News)

Aug 24, 2009

GCO: "Blizzard has revealed that Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer will be playing Sarah Kerrigan, the Queen of Blades, in StarCraft II."

Weekly Recap Aug. 22nd: PS3 Slim, Xbox 360 Price-Cut, Diablo 3 Releases 2011 (News)

Aug 23, 2009

Blend Games writes:

"An absolutely huge week for gaming news and media starting on August 16th and leading up to August 22nd. We kick things off with a few reviews, including one of Shadow Complex. Release dates have been set in place for Diablo 3 and M.A.G, amongst many others this week. Microsoft also announced Fable 3 during this year's GamesCom event and the real news-piling, eye-peeling buzz of the week came from Sony's camp and the revelation of the PS3 Slim and a new price-cut for the standard PlayStation 3. Not to be one-upped, Microsoft also let loose some information about Xbox 360 price-cuts."

Zerg Suck - Dustin Browder on Race Identity (News)

Aug 23, 2009

During the press Q&A Dustin Browder commented that one of his major focuses was to make sure that all of the races had their own identity. When asked to elaborate on this, Dustin stated that while developing the three races, their major focus was "cool"...

Starcraft 2 Beta expected by the end of the year (News)

Aug 23, 2009

Beta is expected by Mike Morheime....

Blizzard Announces Battle.net Renovation (News)

Aug 23, 2009

MassiveDamage writes: "As Diablo III, the first installment of Starcraft II and the recently announced third expansion to the World of Warcraft loom ever closer, Blizzard has taken steps to ensure that Battle.net becomes a one stop shop for gamers looking to play online. Launched in 1996 following the release of Diablo, Battle. net became the centerpiece of the Blizzard online experience. Seamlessly integrated with titles allowed for simplicity in account creation, as opposed to external online services. Additionally, an absence of membership fees would poise Battle.net to become a major selling point for Diablo and subsequent Blizzard titles. However, having existed in its current form without changes since 2003 has begun to call for some updates...."

Kerrigan Voice Announced (News)

Aug 23, 2009

Rumors have been floating around for months for who will play the voice of Kerrigan...

BlizzCon 2009 Goes Live (News)

Aug 23, 2009

BlizzCon 2009 show goes live today 10:00 PST (8 PM GMT)

At BlizzCon 2009 we will cover about Diablo 3, World of Warcraft & Starcraft 2 at our Live Coverage Page.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Expansion is the biggest news gamers are expecting, including two new WoW Races: Goblin & Worgen.

Diablo 3: 4th Class is what gamers want to see, lots of debate, and the biggest bid have been somekind of Diablo 3 shooter (Archer/Hunter) Class.

Continue to follow the full Coverage about BlizzCon 2009

Uncharted 2 is the best console game Gamescom 2009 (News)

Aug 22, 2009

Uncharted 2, Legend of Zelda: Spirit tracks along with Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games are the big winners of the Gamescom 2009th A professional jury selected the game's best in their respective segments.

Beta Keys at Blizzcon 2009 (News)

Aug 22, 2009

Why are gamers stressing over beta keys this year? Read the article to find out...

BlizzCon 09: StarCraft II Will Allow Modders To Sell Custom Maps (News)

Aug 22, 2009

Acknowledging the considerable effect mods like Defense of the Ancients have had on the Blizzard community, Blizzard design head Rob Pardo has revealed that mod-makers will be able to sell the custom maps they create for the upcoming StarCraft II through an official marketplace.

At launch, the marketplace will immediately allow free distribution of mods, but commerce functionality will be added in later. Still, Pardo said, it is under active development at Blizzard.

"Imagine what could happen if you could hire a small dev team and use StarCraft II almost as an engine," he said. "This is an opportunity for [modders] to share in the rewards of our success."

Battle.net 2.0 - An Overview (News)

Aug 22, 2009

Battle.net 2.0 was finally unveiled today at Blizzcon 2009. There are a ton of new features that will revolutionize the gaming experience for how gamers play...

Battle.net 2.0 Features Detailed - Online Persistence, Ladders For All Skill Levels (News)

Aug 22, 2009

Blizzard Entertainment's Rob Pardo revealed the planned features for Battle.net 2.0, which will launch in 2010 with StarCraft II and be incorporated into World of WarCraft. The biggest change is the introduction of what Blizzard is calling "Real ID" that should eliminate "smurfing" accounts and ensure better matchmaking. Games will be tied to a specific account much like Steam or other digital distribution services. Battle.net 2.0 will be free, however.

Pardo believes that the new matchmaking system is more powerful than Microsoft's TrueSkill and when paired with Real ID, it should help players of all skill levels get into games that they have a chance to win. On this point, the ladder system has been improved to take player skill into account. After a player completes around 10 games, they will be placed into a skill tier. Within each skill tier, the player is matched up with 99 other players in 100 player divisions. The focus of the season is on competing with these 99 other players with tournaments taking place at the end of each season between division leaders.

BlizzCon 2009: Day 1 (Feature)

Aug 21, 2009

BlizzCon began today, but since it was completely sold out, we couldn’t make it there in person. Luckily, we watched the whole thing through Blizzard’s live stream, and we’ve got all the important highlights you need to know about three of the most anticipated PC titles to come in the next couple of years. “Did they just say COUPLE of years?” ...

BlizzCon 2009 Opening Ceremony liveblog (News)

Aug 21, 2009

VG247: Here we go again with another liveblog kiddos.

This time it's BlizzCon 2009.Be sure and come back to this space for the Opening Ceremony of BlizzCon, and maybe, just maybe we will hear more about the rumored Cataclysm expansion for World of Warcraft, updates on StarCraft II and Diablo III - and who knows - Blizzard may announce its secret MMO.One can only dream.

What's Inside The BlizzCon 2009 Swag Bag? (News)

Aug 21, 2009

Mike Fahey of Kotaku writes:

"Too excited to wait until I got back to my hotel, I grabbed a seat at a table outside of the Anaheim Convention Center and sorted through the contents of my BlizzCon 2009 swag bag."

Starcraft 2 Campaign is Playable at Blizzcon 2009 (News)

Aug 21, 2009

The doors just opened and the fans flooded in. We went by the Starcraft 2 gameplay stations and attendees have the option of playing...

BlizzCon 2009: Play As a 'Diablo 3' Witch Doctor From Home (News)

Aug 20, 2009

Russ Frushtick of MTV Multiplayer writes:

"Unfortunately not everyone is lucky enough to make the trip to Anaheim for BlizzCon 2009. Sure, you can buy one of the "digital passes," but that won't bring playable versions of "StarCraft 2" or "Diablo 3" into your home. Or will it? No, it won't. Sorry.

For you sad sacks, Blizzard has created "Failoc-alypse," a flash game which lets you kill marauding murlocs as one of three Blizzard IP characters: "Diablo 3"'s witch doctor, "StarCraft 2"'s Jim Raynor and "World of WarCraft"'s night elf."

StarCraft II Beta Pushed To 2010? (News)

Aug 19, 2009

StarCraft II will be delayed to 2010, and the beta has a chance of getting delayed as well.

IncGamers.com reports on something that potentially will disappoint a lot of fans.

Blizzcon 2009 Schedule Released (News)

Aug 19, 2009

Blizzard has released the 2009 Blizzcon schedule....

Blizzard: Several Years To Full Completion Of StarCraft II (News)

Aug 18, 2009

Blizzard is developing StarCraft II with the patience and precision for which it's known, but just how great is the scope, breadth and time allotment for the project to be fully realized?

The task ahead of the developer -- releasing the game as a trilogy unprecedentedly integrated with the re-launching Battle.net service -- is intimidating. In a new Gamasutra feature, lead producer Chris Sigaty describes the complex issues of game balance and depth to which the developer must now attend, and he also illustrates just how far ahead Blizzard must look to the project's conclusion.

Blizzard is "definitely having conversations at this point" about expansion packs, says Sigaty. "We know the overarching story. We have certain points we know, but there are a lot of details to figure out," he says.

Blizzard on StarCraft 2 Expansions: 'We're Not Going to Gouge People' (News)

Aug 17, 2009

Nick Breckon from ShackNews writes: Ever since Blizzard announced that it would be splitting the three StarCraft II campaigns into separate games, fans have been worried the studio will abandon its trend of $30 expansions and charge full price for the new games.

Producer Chris Sigaty responded to those concerns during a recent interview with Shacknews, telling us that the team is viewing the games as traditional Blizzard expansions, and not full sequels.

More after the jump.

Diablo 3 & Starcraft II Playable at GamesCon (News)

Aug 17, 2009

BrutalGamer.com writes:- Well, they MIGHT be..

News is hazy on this one but a statement made on the Warcraft forums has lead us to believe (and others) that both of Blizzard's upcoming titles (Starcraft II & Diablo 3) will be playable on the show floor at the even in Cologne.

Blizzard Responds to LAN Controversy (News)

Aug 17, 2009

Since Blizzard originally announced that Starcraft 2 was not supporting LAN the gaming community has been in an uproar with petitions reaching almost 100,000 signatures. There have been various articles taking different sides and others maintaining neutral such as Starcraft 2 and the LAN Controversy. Every gamer has their opinion, but where exactly do the boys in blue stand?

During the press conference in late July we were able to get some answers.

Starcraft 2 & Diablo 3 Playable at BlizzCon 2009? (News)

Aug 17, 2009

According to Blizzi.com, Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2 will be playable for the public at BlizzCon 2009, in Anaheim Convention Center - August 21-22th.

BlizzCon attendees will be able to try a new single-player mission in both Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3, getting their hands on the newest development release.

StarCraft II has online verification, but Battle.net connection not necessary for single-play (News)

Aug 17, 2009

VG247: StarCraft II will require both an online verification check and a Battle.net account to play, Blizzard's confirmed to VG247.

Blizzard game add-on take-up "well above" 50%, says Pardo (News)

Aug 17, 2009

VG247: "Well over" half of World of Warcraft, StarCraft and Warcraft III players buy add-ons for the games, Blizzard design boss Rob Pardo has told VG247.

Pardo: A Blizzard console game could "dominate" (News)

Aug 17, 2009

VG247: Blizzard design boss Rob Pardo has said that should the company ever decide to enter the console space, he'd be looking at the same sort of leadership Blizzard games have achieved on PC.

StarCraft II has planned trial versions, says Blizzard (News)

Aug 17, 2009

VG247: Blizzard will release "trial versions" of StarCraft II, Blizzard's confirmed, although you'll have to wait until the game itself's shipped to be able to try before you buy.

StarCraft II: "There is no co-op campaign" (News)

Aug 17, 2009

VG247: Those of you holding out for a co-op element to StarCraft II can start drowning yourselves now: there isn't one.

"There is no co-op campaign," lead game designer Dustin Browder told VG247 at Blizzard's HQ in California last month.

Blizzard's Pardo: LAN will be a "great footnote in our history" (News)

Aug 17, 2009

VG247: LAN in future Blizzard games? Really not. Blizzard boss Rob Pardo's given a very solid indication that offline networking for the hoi polloi in the firm's games is no more.

Over 100,000 nerds sign Starcraft II Lan petition (News)

Aug 16, 2009

Destructoid:

"When Blizzard announced that Starcraft II would be ditching LAN support, people got upset. Local play has been a staple of Starcraft for centuries, and it was quite shocking to see that the sequel would not allow for that most ancient and noble of nerd traditions, the LAN party. Naturally, an online petition started up."

Blizzard Entertainment Goes Bonanza on Twitter (News)

Aug 15, 2009

Blizzard Goes Crazy on Twitter!

You can now follow all of your favorite Blizzard Entertainment news on Twitter. Just head over to @warcraft, @starcraft, and @diablo for all of the news, events, contests, and more. We're starting off with a bang, so you can enter contests for each of the franchises:

Continue to follow Blizzard on Twitter goes Bonanza...

Strassman on StarCraft II's Kerrigan (News)

Aug 14, 2009

Following the news from yesterday, about StarCraft II's lead character voice actress, IncGamers.com has delved further into this hot topic.

Strassman confirms recording, but there is lots of conflicting information!

Blizzard Starts Twitter Accounts for Diablo, StarCraft, and World of Warcraft (News)

Aug 13, 2009

Gamingshogun.com writes: "Blizzard Entertainment has joined the Twitterverse by started three new (and official) Twitter accounts for their main IPs: World of Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft. This, just a couple weeks before their BlizzCon epic-event in Anaheim where it is expected that they will announced a new expansion to their MMORPG, World of Warcraft..."

Starcraft 2: Razer and Blizzard announce special gaming accessories (News)

Aug 12, 2009

Razer and Blizzard announced gaming hardware and merchandise products for Starcraft 2. There will be a Starcraft 2 mouse, keyboard and headset as well as a specila PC case, a backpack. The Zerg Messenger bag has already been pictured but is not final yet.

The New Voice of StarCraft II's Kerrigan (News)

Aug 12, 2009

The voice actor for Kerrigan in StarCraft II might be Karen Strassman instead of the original Glynnis Talken Campbell.

Updates on the voice actresses resume hints at new Kerrigan.

StarCraft II is 'intimidating', says C&C 4 dev (News)

Aug 11, 2009

There's still no confirmed release date for StarCraft II (we now know it'll be out in the first half of 2010), but the long-awaited sequel is already casting a large shadow. While EA Los Angeles is hard at work on rival RTS Command & Conquer 4, producer Jim Vessella is well aware of the competition from Blizzard.

"Sure it's intimidating," said Vessella, speaking to VideoGamer.com at a C&C 4 press event last week. "It's one of the most powerful franchises in gaming and it's going to take the market by storm."

EA LA: Starcraft II will boost RTS genre (News)

Aug 11, 2009

In an interview with Strategy Informer, EA LA's producer Jim Vessella said that Blizzard's Starcraft II will be a great boom for the RTS genre and is excited to see how everyone reacts to it when it's released.

"I think Starcraft II is going to be a great boom for the RTS genre. I'm really excited to play it and see it come out and how everyone reacts to it." said Vessella.

Starcraft II Delay Does Not Affect Diablo III Release Schedule (News)

Aug 11, 2009

While Diablo III will not be released any time soon, it's comforting for anyone looking forward to the game to know that Blizzard has given its assurance that Starcraft II's delay will have no significant impact on the schedule of the company's other games, including Diablo III.

Blizzard president Mike Morhaime addressed the issue at the company's quarterly earnings call and reiterated the company's plans to release one major game per year, emphasizing that we can hope to see two games released in 2010.

Ozzy Osbourne at Blizzcon 2009 Confirmed (News)

Aug 10, 2009

There have been many rumors about that Ozzy Osbourne will be performing at BlizzCon 2009, well now it is confirmed by DirectTV.

Check out the full story about Ozzy Osbourne at Blizzcon 2009 Confirmed...

Blizzard Q2 2009 Conference Call Exclusive Transcript (News)

Aug 8, 2009

Blizzard Q2 2009 Conference Call Transcript

Michael Morhaime, Blizzard's CEO talks on financial, delay of Starcraft 2, Battle.net 2.0, World of Warcraft in China, Warcraft movie and future release of Blizzard games (Diablo 3).

Continue to read the full Blizzard Q2 2009 Transcript...

Top 10 Reasons Why Starcraft 2 Was Delayed (News)

Aug 6, 2009

GrE writes, "Big surprise, another big name fall release has been delayed until 2010. Even though Starcraft 2 had never been given an official release date, there had been some hope that we would be playing it before Christmas. Sadly, Activision-Blizzard has assured us that we won't see the title until 2010. These are the top 10 reasons why the game was delayed..."

Starcraft 2 Delay Hasn't Hurt Activision (News)

Aug 6, 2009

Activision Blizzard's second quarter results have put paid to pontifications by analysts such as Jess Lubert over at Brean Murray. Earlier this year Murray stated, "Even without Starcraft I think Activision should be able to get to their current guidance for the year. But without Starcraft getting an upside to that number might be challenging."

Fewer games, higher prices this Christmas (News)

Aug 6, 2009

MCV: Trade plays it safe to increase chance of Q4 profits – as key IP is pushed back to 2010

Morhaime: "Correct to conclude" that two Blizzard games will hit in 2010 (News)

Aug 5, 2009

VG247: Speaking in the Acti Blizz Q2 earnings call tonight, Blizzard boss Mike Morhaime caved tonight on the subject of whether or not two Blizzard games would release next year, saying it was "correct to conclude" that StarCraft II's now-confirmed delay into 2010 means the publisher's about to double up.

Acti Blizz explains Battle.net delay, points to "premier online gaming destination" (News)

Aug 5, 2009

VG247: The upgraded Battle.net needs extra development time to be critical to Activision's vision for the service, according to a mailer just sent our way.

The service will now launch in early 2010. StarCraft II has now been delayed to match its release.

Starcraft II Delayed to 2010 (News)

Aug 5, 2009

As part of their second quarter earnings release, Activision announced that Starcraft II would be delayed until 2010.

BlizzCon Tournament Coverage Streams Free of Charge (News)

Aug 1, 2009

A few months ago Blizzard announced their Pay per View offer which allows the viewer to watch everything BlizzCon for a fee. Today they revealed that the tournaments streams will be available through their website free of charge.

Analyst: StarCraft II Could Sell 4 Million (News)

Jul 29, 2009

Activision Blizzard shares have slumped 14 percent in the last month, MarketWatch reports, as investors seemingly fret over the possibility that Blizzard's PC real-time strategy game StarCraft II may not make the 2009 calendar year.

But with Activision-owned Infinity Ward on track to launch the first-person shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to masses of frothing gamers, investors might have little to worry about.

Blizzard has gone on record to say that it hopes to release StarCraft II, the sequel to the 1998 original, sometime by the end of 2009. But the studio, known for World of Warcraft and its virtually peerless roster of successful games, still clung to the policy of "it's done when it's done."

Pachter said that when the game does ship, he expects it to sell 4 million units in its opening quarter. At $40 wholesale ($50 retail), that would equate to $160 million in revenues for Activision Blizzard. Operating profit could hit $80 million, he said, or 4 cents per share.

Activision under pressure on worries about game delay (News)

Jul 29, 2009

As gamers head into the 2009 holiday season, one of the biggest question marks has been StarCraft II. Blizzard has said that they are doing their best to have it out this year, but analysts aren't so sure it will happen. And now investors are getting jittery.

Marketwatch is reporting that Activision Blizzard has seen its share price drop 14 percent over the past month, due in large part to fears that StarCraft II will be delayed into the next year. According to Brean Murray analyst Jess Lubert, the prospect of a 2009 release is looking increasingly bleak.

"The beta testing for StarCraft hasn't started yet. If it starts in August and takes 5-6 months, then launching the game this year is next to impossible," he said.

IGN: StarCraft II Petition Hits 55K (News)

Jul 14, 2009

Online petitions may seem a dime a dozen, but the petition to Blizzard Entertainment to restore LAN support in StarCraft II has more than a handful of respondents. A lot more. As of Monday afternoon, there were more than 56,625 "signatures" on the petition, which began after Blizzard late last month announced that it would not support LAN play in its upcoming real-time strategy sequel. Instead, the company said that it would only support multiplayer through its Battle.net online service. Indeed, Blizzard plans a massive overhaul to Battle.net for StarCraft II, with enhanced stat tracking, improved spectating features, and more.

The Wall Street Journal: Activision Seen Delaying Two Big Games (News)

Jul 10, 2009

Ben Charny Of Dow Jones Newswires writes:

"Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) will delay releasing its new "Singularity" shooting game until 2010, the company said amid speculation it will push back the release of another potential top-selling videogame."

Analyst reckons StarCraft II will join Singularity's delay into 2010 (News)

Jul 10, 2009

Activision is as pumped for Infinity Ward's release of Modern Warfare 2 as we fans, so much so that they are pushing back Singularity so it doesn't get hurt.

StarCraft II has been optimistically slated for a late '09 release, but with its beta already held up, and Acti left doubtless Modern Warfare 2 will over shadow everything, it too could see 2010.

Starcraft: Frontline Vol. 3 Review (News)

Jul 8, 2009

StarcraftWire.net reviewed the Tokyopop manga StarCraft: Frontline Vol. 3. Is it worth a read? Does it have anything to do with Starcraft II? The answer is very straight-forward. The four stories contained within this manga are thrilling. Starcraft II fans will quickly be addicted to these canon stories.

Pushing Buttons: StarCraft 2's LAN party potential (News)

Jul 7, 2009

This week the Internet erupted into its latest games industry "scandal" - Blizzard has removed LAN play from its upcoming strategy sequel StarCraft II, forcing multiplayer gamers to log in to the Battle.net service. Some people have taken an accusatory stance toward Blizzard on this little detail, even to the point where the controversy has begun to overshadow the flood of hype-building, detail-filled game previews that hit the Web at the start of the week. Petitions have been opened online. Commenters swear they won't buy the game on principle.

Upcoming games that could revolutionize the industry (Feature)

Jul 3, 2009

Contributors: Chris Antista, Charlie Barratt, Brett Elston, Matthew Keast, Shane Patterson, Mikel Reparaz

Hundreds of games are released every year, then played and forgotten by the next. Only a dozen or so will be remembered a decade from now, and only a few of those will have any lasting impact on the medium as a whole.

Which upcoming titles stand the best chance of leaving that meaningful mark? ...

Blizzard Entertainment Trademarks Cataclysm (News)

Jul 1, 2009

Blizzard Entertainment filed a new trademark titled Cataclysm with the US Trademark and Patents Office.

StarCraft voice actor returns for StarCraft II duty (News)

Jul 1, 2009

Remember how there was a minor issue with StarCraft fans over the fact that two of the original game's voice actors would not be returning to voice those same roles for StarCraft II?

Well those folks can rest easy now as one of those voice actors, Robert Clotworthy, has confirmed with Starcraftwire.net that he will indeed return to handle the voice acting duties of Jim Raynor for Blizzard's long awaited RTS sequel..

Blizzards Response to No Lan Support For Starcraft 2 (News)

Jul 1, 2009

Many gamers have been heated when the confirmation broke out yesterday about Starcraft 2 not supporting lan. So furious that over 7,000 fans have signed a petition to Blizzard to add Lan support. Today, Blizzard reps have made a few posts defending their decision and addressing concerns fans may have.

Analyst: Hardware Pricing, Possible Starcraft II Delay Could 'Compromise' Activision's Holiday (News)

Jun 30, 2009

Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey says that despite the promise of holiday success for games like DJ Hero and Tony Hawk: Ride, Activision's year end could see some snags -- chief among them the increasing likelihood that Starcraft II won't make this calendar year.

Although Blizzard's not yet pinned a specific release date for the game, it's maintained a 2009 window. But Starcraft II lead designer recently told consumer weblog Kotaku that the team plans to have a beta that will last "four to six months," leading Hickey to conclude: "We find it increasingly probably that the game will be released in [Activision's] fiscal '10 period."

StarCraft II mega-preview: An (endlessly tweaked, stats-filled) intergalactic bloodbath (News)

Jun 30, 2009

Today the wraps came off a number of previews of Blizzard's StarCraft II, and the Internet was flooded with information about the PC strategy sequel as if a celebrity had just died. Fans have awaited the game for ten years, while the still thriving audience of hardcore StarCraft I players have nervously kept at their game, wondering if the new millennium's take on the RTS classic would invalidate their decade of practice. The game industry's online press attended a preview session at Blizzard HQ in California last week, and the general consensus is that it's like returning to one's own hometown after being gone for ten years: a lot's changed, but it's still undoubtedly home. And it feels good.

Thousands Petition Blizzard For LAN (News)

Jun 30, 2009

StarCraft II are fans upset over Blizzard's decision to exclude local area network (LAN) game mode.

Yesterday IncGamers.com reported Blizzard has confirmed "no LAN mode" in StarCraft II, and the news spread quickly over the net. In just a day over 2500 fans have signed a petition asking Blizzard to consider including network multiplayer in addition to Battle.net in the game, and the number grows by the minute.

Dropping StarCraft II's LAN Support Was "difficult decision" (News)

Jun 30, 2009

VG247: Blizzard's confirmed to VG247 that StarCraft II will indeed lack LAN support, saying the decision to drop the feature was "difficult".

Last night's reports that no local multiplay is to be included in the game were met with general disbelief.

Starcraft II Beta Likely Starting Soon, Lasting Several Months (News)

Jun 29, 2009

Dustin Browder, lead designer on StarCraft II at Blizzard, revealed a bit more on Starcraft II's beta and release date. While they're still obviously not ready to commit to a release date (see: Blizzard), Dustin said that the StarCraft II beta is planned to last from four to six months.

Blizzard: ICCUP Is a Pirate Server (News)

Jun 29, 2009

Blizzard will not allow services like ICCUP in StarCraft II.

ICCUP is a third party service that uses StarCraft's engine to play games on another network than Battle.net. It has become popular because it has more innovative ladder functionality, less lag and better anti-hack measures.

WOW held up StarCraft II for a year (News)

Jun 29, 2009

Blizzard's vice president of game design, Rob Pardo, has revealed to Eurogamer that early delays to StarCraft II's development were a result of staff being called off to work on World of Warcraft for a year.

Work on StarCraft II started in 2003, but Blizzard didn't even announce the game until 2007 - and it's not due to launch until later this year. However, despite the WOW-relayed delays, Blizzard has had a playable version of the game since late 2005.

Starcraft 2 Beta icon appears on Battle.net (News)

Jun 25, 2009

Fans anticipating the release of the Starcraft 2 beta have identified that a small change has occured within their Battle.net profiles. A small icon reading "SC2 Beta" has appeared, and the "Beta Profile Settings" text has changed to bright green.

[rumor]40,000 Starcraft2 beta testers in each region (News)

Jun 24, 2009

Based on the Chinese fansite sc2p.com's report, their representative interviewed Chris Sigaty and Dustin Browder earlier today in Blizzard HQ.

During the interview, Christ revealed that there will be about 40,000 beta testers in each region (North America, Europe, Korea, China, etc.), the total number is nearly 200,000.

Yes, Blizzard Is Still Aiming To Release StarCraft II This Year (News)

Jun 18, 2009

The release dates Kotaku has been hearing for StarCraft II have been fourth quarter 2009. In an interview with Swedish game site Press2play.TV, StarCraft II lead designer Chris Sigaty says...

...that Blizzard is going to try to get the game out this year. "However," he adds, "we're not going to ship the game if it's not ready." Blizzard is working hard to get the game out the door, but won't put out an unfinished title.

Blizzard: No date to announce for StarCraft II beta, but no NDA in force (News)

Jun 16, 2009

VG247: Blizzard, while currently asking for journalist BattleNet details for the impending StarCraft II beta, said in the mails it sent out to sites yesterday that the test's start date is still off-limits.

"We do not currently have a date to announce for the start of the beta test," said the firm.

It's safe to assume, however, that the beta's very close. And good news was included in the mail: the beta has no NDA.

Blizzard Send StarCraft II Beta Preparation Mails to Major Gaming Sites (News)

Jun 15, 2009

StarcraftWire has confirmed from official and unofficial sources that Blizzard has sent out e-mails to gaming sites, asking them to prepare for StarCraft II beta. Their deadline is 19 June.

StarCraft 2 : Map Editor New Details Revealed by Blizzard (News)

Jun 15, 2009

Blizzard has updated their Starcraft 2 Map Maker Series over at their official forums, revealing that the map editor will indeed be included in the beta, however, not from the onset.

Other info reveals that you will be able to modify a hero unit in more specific detail, as well as the improvement on the script memory leak issues from Warcraft III. Said the post on the message boards, it will now be "a thing of the past."

Simon Furman spotlights StarCraft Comics (News)

Jun 11, 2009

StarCraftWire.net interviewed famous The Transformers writer Simon Furman to go in-depth into the thrilling first story arc of the ongoing StarCraft Comic book series.

The comic book is based on Blizzard Entertainment's RTS game and paves the path to StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.

Battle.net Confirmed Fee-Free (News)

Jun 5, 2009

There has been a lot of speculation whether or not Battle.net, Blizzard's updated online gaming network, would be a service players would have to pay for. Considering the new network has its very own development team, the thought isn't far off.

The first game to be made specifically for the new gaming network is StarCraft II, and the RTS Community Manager Kevin "Karune" Yu told fans that the network will NOT be charging anyone for use.

Simon Furman Attending 2D Northern Ireland Comics Festival (News)

Jun 3, 2009

Simon Furman is expected at the 2D Northern Ireland Comics Festival through June 5th-6th as a panelist. Fans will have a chance at meeting him during a book signing session on Saturday, June 6th.

Simon Furman is a popular comic book writer with The Transformers and StarCraft under his portfolio.

Battle.net 2.0 Paid Service a Possibility? (News)

Jun 1, 2009

Blizzard CEO and President Mike Morhaime evaded a question in the public Q&A during a Activision Blizzard conference call held outside the boundaries of E3 2009. Are there any plans to monetize Battle.net 2.0 service? Mike Morhaime limited to answer: "I'm not ready to talk about that today".

E3: Morhaime: Starcraft II probably in 09 (News)

Jun 1, 2009

Blizzard's Mike Morhaime has said that Starcraft II will be released this year as long as it "meets our standards and the expectations of our players".

Morhaime was speaking to investors and press in a pre-E3 Activision Blizzard conference call covering a range of topics.

Elsewhere, Activision's Mike Griffith said to expect new James Bond, Tony Hawk, Spider-Man, Transformers and Shrek games in 2010.

BlizzCon 2009 Tickets Officially Sold Out (News)

May 31, 2009

Blizzard has announced that the final block of tickets for BlizzCon 2009 have sold out.

Those who are looking to attend this year's BlizzCon will either need to win their way in or spend some extra money through a third-party, as the ship has sailed for obtaining tickets from the publisher itself.