For those unaware, large portions of StarCraft II have become free-to-play via Blizzard’s Battle.net client. Everyone can now play the Wings of Liberty campaign and take part in much of the online gameplay immediately. Ranked matches are locked until players complete a set of objectives, but that’s pretty fair. Also, the objectives include playing ten unranked or AI matches over ten days or buying an expansion or war chest bundle. Nothing too impossible.
It’s the polar opposite situation to another really big multiplayer game that’s set to release soon. That’s probably enough right there to give it away, but just in case, I’ll fill you in. It’s Star Wars: Battlefront II . The EA published game isn’t even released and it’s already being torn down by anyone and everyone with access to a keyboard. EA’s stock has dropped, and their public relations office is sure to be a nightmare right now. Blizzard decided however that it was worth taking the time to poke a little fun at EA while they were down.
The StarCraft II f ree-to-play trailer directly mentions paying for items to progress in a game, which is one of the biggest factors Star Wars: Battlefront II is staring down right now. Many fans are absolutely undone by what appears to be a pay-to-win model within the unreleased game. StarCraft II and Blizzard don’t mention the game or the company by name, but it’s clear to everyone what the implication is here. Add onto that the fact that StarCraft ‘s Twitter has been going crazy lately alluding to the 40 hour playtime lock Star Wars: Battlefront II has on heroes, and you’ve got a battle of brands.
Take a look at the StarCraft II trailer below and let us know what you think about all this in the comments.
Sources: Rock, Paper, Shotgun , Game Rant