StarCraft 2 launch prompts midnight store openings

Tonight signifies the end to what for many dedicated StarCraft fans has been an intolerable 12 year wait; the launch of Blizzard Entertainment’s real-time strategy game StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty. Such is the demand for the PC-only title that selected stores throughout the country will be opening at midnight in order to meet demand for its release.

Since its release way back in 1998 StarCraft has sold a staggering 10 million copies worldwide, with half of those sales taking place in South Korea alone where StarCraft has a cult-like following. The fast pace, fine balancing and strategic options fuelling the rise of multiplayer championships in which players vie for huge cash prizes and prompting Blizzard to develop there own multiplayer hosting software ‘Battle.net’.

“We’ve got a lot of energy invested in the Battle.net platform that’s going to allow us to deliver patches to make the game stable and balanced over however many years the community is interested in it,” said Frank Pearce, Vice-President of Blizzard Entertainment, when I spoke to him recently. “I can certainly imagine (similar success with StarCraft 2), hopefully I mean.”

To read the rest of the interview in which he discusses what players can expect from StarCraft 2, both online and offline, please check out my blog.

In the meantime see below for an epic trailer of the game to whet your appetite and if you are heading down to any of the midnight store openings be sure to let us know.

Michael Plant

For all the latest gaming news and opinions follow my blog at www.heretherebegamers.co.uk

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