starcraft 2
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Blizzard studio tour makes jaws detach from faces
If you're the type of person who enjoys seeing something that will make your jaw drop and head shake simultaneously, then by all means watch the above video. Not only does Blizzard have an insanely huge looking 24/7 gym and cafeteria, they are also in possession of a museum o' Blizzard paraphernalia that would make even the most devout fans blush. We're talking every award, game, merchandise or odd piece of cool Blizzard history here -- even every iteration of the 'Make Love, Not Warcraft' South Park episode's script. If that weren't enough, at the end of the video we're told that a giant 21-foot statue -- modeled after what we're pretty sure is a mounted WoW character -- will be built in the main courtyard. We're at a loss for words here, so until they build the thing and put it on video we're just going to have to use our imaginations.We can't wait to see what kind of love Starcraft II gets when it's put into this museum of all things Blizzard related. Maybe a life-sized screeching animatronic Zergling?
Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational invades Paris this June
Tickets for the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational convention and tournament being held in Paris, France, will go on sale this Thursday The event will be at the Porte de Versailles Exposition Centre on June 28 and 29, with tickets costing €70 / £55 ($110). Attendees will get hands-on time with WoW expansion Wrath of the Lich King and StarCraft II.The tournament will have $100,000 in prizes, but all we really care about is the big announcement. Blizzard has a habit of revealing big things at its special events, as it did at last year's invitational in Korea when it announced StarCraft II. Then again, Blizzard could just make us sad Pandaren by neglecting to reveal anything at all.[Via WoW Insider]
Starcraft II: Zerg video and info dump
The Queen of Blades' return in StarCraft II slowly approaches -- very, very, slowly approaches. Following the release of the Zerg race trailer in Korea (naturally), a non-shaky-cam version can now be enjoyed (above). We've also posted videos of Zerg gameplay footage after the break. IGN has a list of Zerg units and buildings currently known and Blizzard has also posted a lot information in its forums. Finally, GameVideos has footage of the Hydralisk burrowing and the Mutalisk in action. For those desperately waiting for a StarCraft II release date, more information is expected to hit later this year at BlizzCon.
Korea first to be Zerg rushed in Starcraft II
While not directly related to the World of Warcraft, I'm sure most of our readers are deeply interested in the progress of Blizzard's upcoming sequel to Starcraft, Starcraft II. Just recently, Blizzard has shown off the Zerg cinematic, a reveal that many people have been waiting for, myself included.The quality on the video isn't super amazing, no copy out on the net right now is. Camcorder ftw. Don't worry, though. I'm sure Blizzard will have a fantastic version up on the Starcraft II website in no time.Personally, I'm stoked. While the Protoss were always my personal choice in Starcraft, the Zerg had unrivaled style. While I was never amazing at the game, I played it a lot and there was never a dull moment in a match against the Zerg, you always had to be on your toes. The gameplay preview in the trailer looks like they've replicated that experience really well. I look forward to it.And of course... still holding out for World(Galaxy?) of Starcraft![ video via SCLegacy ]
StarCraft 2's Zerg finally revealed
The biggest news about StarCraft II so far has come to us from Korea, and today is no exception (man, we're so jealous, Koreans get all the breaks) with the introduction of the Zerg race at the Grand Intercontinetal Hotel of SamSeongDong in Seoul.Besides the above shaky-cam trailer, Blizzplanet has harvested tons of screenshots and information for you to rabidly consume right here. There's also a long video of Zerg gameplay which you can see right after the break. So, what's the word, StarCraft die-hards? Do you approve?[Thanks, Foetoid]
Activision CEO talks about in-game advertising... is WoW next?
When Vivendi acquired Activision -- or was it Activision acquiring Vivendi? these business deals confuse me -- to form what the soon-to-be Activision-Blizzard late last year, many players were concerned about how this would affect our beloved MMO. Blizzard assured its players with an FAQ on the forums about the merger stating, in no uncertain terms, that it would not affect Blizzard's games in any way (except to improve them, presumably). Activision CEO Bobby Kotick recently spoke with Next Generation, however, and talked very much like the businessman, discussing possible revenue models for their stable of games. He mentions how Activision-Blizzard must figure out StarCraft's business model for the future, "with in-game advertising and sponsorship" which he says "presents a tremendous opportunity for the future."He illustrates how StarCraft can actually be "the model for in-game advertising and tournament play", spooking at least one World of Warcraft player, who asks on the forums if WoW could be next. Fortunately, Karune chimes in the same thread assuring StarCraft fans (and by extension, WoW players) that Blizzard has "no plans to have in-game advertising in StarCraft II." He explains that "Bobby (Kotick) was actually referring to Battle.net, which has always included ads." It's very reassuring, but perhaps such speculation would be avoided if Activision-Blizzard's CEO actually words things a little better.
No in-game ads in Starcraft 2
When Bobby Kotick was discussing Guitar Hero expansion and the possibility of a Call of Duty MMO at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference last week, he also brought up a much less appetizing prospect: in-game advertising in StarCraft 2. ... Shh, if you're very quiet, you can hear fanboy hearts all over the world shattering and being replaced by churning, white-hot fury.As much as we enjoy that sound, Blizzard has swooped in to explain that fans have nothing to be worried about, telling Blizzplanet, "We have no plans to have in-game advertising in StarCraft II. We believe Bobby was actually referring to Battle.net, which has always included ads." ... Well, thank the Overmind for that.
GDC08: Live from Rob Pardo talks about Blizzard's approach to MMOs
Rob Pardo, Blizzard's Senior Vice President of Game Design, is speaking at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco this afternoon and WoW Insider is here live to catch it all. Though the auditorium is just filling up, Pardo should be out in a few minutes to tell us all about Blizzard's approach to multiplayer game design. Catch the full details after the break.%Gallery-16546%
The Digital Continuum: Activision Blizzard vs Electronic Arts, battle of the MMO titans
To most of us, the recent Activision/Vivendi merger that created Activision Blizzard is the gaming industry equivalent of a beef burrito filled with chocolate pudding. They're both pretty good on their own, but why in the hell would anyone think to put them together? I imagine these burritos are fed to all employees in an effort to fuel their creativity; or kill them as an example. The truth (which is way more boring) is that companies do things like this to better fund the development of titles as a larger entity. The cost of making Blizzard's next game is probably so immense that you need a nonsensical chocolate filled beef burrito just to finance the thing. ActiBlizzVision (That mash-up is growing on me) isn't the first major company to come to this realization either. Both Mythic (now EA Mythic) and Bioware -- creators of Mass Effect, Jade Empire and KOTOR -- have climbed aboard the Electronic Arts train in the hopes to better reach their destination, retail city. Warhammer Online is quite well into development and will be the first new fighter to the ring with a release sometime next year. EA Mythic will be torturing themselves (in a good way?) the next six months to get their game in fighting shape for that eventual big brawl with World of Warcraft. It's just unavoidable, you can't enter the MMO market with the intellectual property that WoW is essentially inspired from and not get tied up by the wrist with a knife in your hand.
The Starcraft 2 petition
So I wandered over to Blizzplanet this morning to check out what new information they might have, about the Wrath of the Lich King, about the upcoming patches, really anything of interest. Now, I only recently got into the Starcraft universe, really since the announcement about a sequel being in development. It was at that time that I decided to pick up a copy of the game and see what it was all about. RTS had never been my genre, but I am really enjoying the game for multiple reasons. So when I saw the petition listed on Blizzplanet, I was intrigued.In Starcraft2, Blizzard's new addition to the genre, there are many things that have reappeared. Characters we know and love are back, albeit with some updates. The most notable change in the characters aside of their appearance is their voices. Evidently Blizzard has decided to go with new voice actors for this project, which leaves diehard Starcraft fans feeling disjointed and more than a little irritated. Thus Blizzplanet has put together a petition, and no it's not to bring back the Firebat. The petition is to let Blizzard know how much the players of Starcraft want to hear the same voice acting in Starcraft 2. The voice work in Starcraft was particularly brilliant, and was a huge part of what gave the game its personality. They ask that Blizzard work with the people that brought that magic to the first game. It really isn't a lot to ask, it just requires a change in Blizzard strategy. Will it work? Sign the petition and find out.
BlizzCon then and now
If you were one of the lucky few who happened to attend both this BlizzCon and the one in 2005, you would have noticed, as I did, the subtle changes that separated the two. Some of the changes were physical and others were harder to catch. In 2005 when we arrived at the arena, the sense of excitement was not only palpable, it was visible. For the first time since it's release, WoW fans were able to stand IRL and expound upon their favorite aspects of the game. I know personally, as someone who was at the time fairly new to the game, it was an amazing sight to see so many people who loved the game as I did. When I stood in line to get my tickets this year, however, it felt as if I were surrounded by a different crowd of gamers, a quieter one.
BlizzCon: closing ceremony audio, including Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain
Well, BlizzCon is officially over, and folks will have to wait another year to experience it again. Hopefully by this time next year, however, both StarCraft 2 and the WoW expansion Wrath of the Lich King will be on store shelves, or in your hands. Until then we'll be waiting for the dribbles to trickle out of Blizzard with more information.But, all is not lost. They did send us out with a bang that included 30 minutes of fairly decent comedy with Jay Mohr, a performance by Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain (the highlight of the night of which a brief video appears above), and a pretty sweet set from Video Games Live, including the Diablo theme being played on a 12-string guitar. That was the best moment of the night, and makes us wonder even more when there will be some sort of a Diablo sequel.Check out the gallery below, which contains some new shots from the closing ceremonies. You can always head over after the break to listen to the complete audio of Jay's performance, the L70ETC set, and the Video Games Live goodness. In handy mp3 format for your listening pleasure. Also be sure to check out the exhaustive BlizzCon coverage from WoW Insider, who really brought down the house with their in-depth look at Lich King, and the event as a whole.%Gallery-5475%
BlizzCon: hands-on schooling with Starcraft 2
During the recent BlizzCon, we sat down and got a ton of time with StarCraft 2, to the tune of roughly three hours or so. The upshot of it all? We were very impressed, and we had our asses handed to us, both in single and multiplayer modes.Okay, first of all, before I get much further into this I have to say that by "we" I mean "me." I don't want to categorize the rest of the Joystiq staff as sucking at StarCraft 2, but I can pretty much definitely say that as far as this writer is concerned, I'm a complete noob.%Gallery-3311%
StarCraft II playable at BlizzCon!
In case you needed any more reasons to want to go to BlizzCon, they've just announced that convention-goers will be treated to a playable demo of StarCraft II. Of course, who knows how much "playable demo" there is to the game yet, but but Blizzard tells us that "attendees can sample the new units and gameplay elements for themselves in multiplayer battles." Ah, sounds like good times to me! (The good old days, pre-WoW, when fun was just a Zergling rush away.)Don't have tickets to BlizzCon? Don't worry -- WoW Insider has a few tickets to give away. So if you want to see StarCraft II in person, tune in next Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for your chance to win!
New Starcraft II details from PC Gamer
The cover story of the latest PC Gamer is all about Starcraft II. The feature highlights the development process and decision-making and shows an ample amount of Protoss units, including old-hats such as the Reavers, Templars and Archons. Other tidbits: Hero units will not be as important or require as much management as they did in Warcraft III. The current plan is to keep the unit cap at 200. In terms of unit higlighting, the development team is testing the option to let you select an unlimited of units at the same time. Blizzard consulted with top competitive SC and WCIII players from Korea for the balance and design process. The ideal SCII match will last less than 20 minutes. No decisions have been made as to minimum system requirements, but Blizzard has always made games for a wide range of computers. The team did note that a Shader Model 2.0-compatible graphics card will be required. (That's GeForce FX, Radeon 9000 or better, PC Gamer reports.) Everything we've previously seen or read, the feature stressed, is subject to change. Here's hoping we get some more information (or hands-on time) at this year's BlizzCon. The latest PC Gamer is on newsstands now.%Gallery-3311%[Thanks, Einhanderkiller]
More Starcraft 2 footage found online
There's a new video up on YouTube showing off some more Starcraft 2 goodies. You can check out profiles and featured gameplay showing off these units: Soul Hunter, Phase Cannon, Tempest, and Twilight Archon.According to the video bug in the lower right hand corner, this footage is from PC Gamer, but we couldn't find it featured anywhere on their site. Hopefully Starcraft won't adopt the Halo 3 stance which seemed to be avalanches of game screena, info, and "exclusive looks" every couple of weeks. If Blizzard just gives us a little bit at a time, we'll be more intrigued by what they aren't telling us.Anyhow, all that aside, this video looks sweet. Where's the freakin' beta already?[Thanks, Nelson]
Blizzcon forums are live
Eyonix announced that the official World of Warcraft BlizzCon 2007 forums are live. Topics are already blazing: What costume are you going to wear? Petitions to buy tickets for people who can't go but still want the swag How to find a place to stay when every room is already sold out And the most important topic of all: FIRST! No new information yet on additional swag, ticket on-sale date or if a playable Starcraft 2 demo will be available for Blizzcon 2007. But keep checking in with WoW Insider, we'll update here when we know more.
Readers pick best webcomic: crafty
Ctrl+Alt+Del's take on the Starcraft 2 announcement earned top honors in this week's webcomic wrapup. The punchline may have been explained a bit too much, as many of the commenters noted, but it didn't ruin the joke.Second and third place go to RPG-TV and Weird Comix, respectively. Thanks to everyone who voted and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
BlizzCon attendees to get beta key for 'upcoming Blizzard game'
Another great reason to hit up BlizzCon August 3 and 4 at the Anaheim Convention Center: all attendees will receive, in addition to other swag, a beta key for "an upcoming Blizzard game." Though nondescript, our initial reaction is to think the beta is for Starcraft II -- a very likely candidate, given its recent unveiling, its perceived progress, and that Blizzard has yet to reveal any other upcoming titles. However, the secretive developer could also be working on, say, a World of Warcraft expansion. We're not getting our hopes up until Blizzard announces what game is being beta tested.Also revealed as swag for the event is the pictured Murloc Suit that you can give your WoW avatar. Other swag will be "announced in a future update."[Via WoW Insider]
Starcraft 2 beta keys for all Blizzcon visitors?
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Starcraft_2_beta_keys_for_all_BlizzCon_visitors'; Details are surfacing about the fun and games that is Blizzcon 2007. Today, Blizzard announced some of the swag that you can expect when you attend this August.First up, is the revelation that every attendee will receive a beta key to "an upcoming Blizzard game." Hmm, I wonder what that game could be. Now, I'm not saying for certain that it is Starcraft 2, it may be the next WoW expansion. But I think it's a safe bet that you'll be zipping up a spacesuit and picking up a blaster bigger than your grandmother's station wagon after this convention is over.Next up is a unique item no one expected to see. Every Blizzcon attendee will receive a special passcode. Once in-game, the passcode can be redeemed for, drumroll please, a murloc suit for one of you characters. Good for the spirited RP event or for spicing up the dragging-on-until-you-want-to-/gquit guild meeting. Maybe even handy for that next machinima piece you were brainstorming. More swag to be announced in the future. So, what do you guys think? Is a Starcraft 2 beta key in your future?
