Boy, just when you thought Web applications couldn't entertain...
Just moments ago I sat front and center at the main stage, here at BlizzCon in Anaheim, Calif., completely enthrawled at what Blizzard's revamped version of Battle.net has in store for all of us. Before I get to the bullet points, let me just say that this all new Battle.net is going to fundamentally change the way all of us play our Blizzard games. Whether you're a WoW addict, a Diablo III fanatic, or a patiently waiting fan of StarCraft 2, this new application will allow you to make friends across all games -- and keep in touch with them where ever they are. iPhone app anyone?
Hit the jumps for all the important quick hit facts.
This is what your profile page will look like. Many more screenshots where this came from.
What to expect from Battle.net 2.0
- Battle.net will essentially be the central hub to connect you with Blizzard's latest news, all of the friends you make (either online or in RL) while playing, and most importantly all of your Blizzard games
- You will now be able to play singleplayer missions for best times and compare your records to your friend's
- It will always keep your Blizzard games updated with the latest patches
- A much talked about feature, you can now record games and watch replays of them
- Achievements will let you unlock new avatars as well as decals that you can then place on your in-game units and customize your StarCraft II army. More importantly achievements are collected by your account and not your WoW character, thus eliminating having to re-earn them.
- New automated matchplay will rank you based on skill and place you into leagues (Pro, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) and will then match you up against player's that are ranked closed to you in your league. This should help assure close games and fair play.
- An all new AIM-style chat system will allow you to communicate with friends across all games regardless if they're in-game or in a lobby.
- One of the most exciting features is being able to change your friend's alias to whatever you want (ie their real name), making it easier for you to remember them by.
- You'll be able to "broadcast" a message just like a Facebook status
- The SC2 marketplace (which may not be available on launch) will allow the mod community to upload their maps for users to then browse, rate, and even purchase (if it's a premium map)
That's the bare bones update on Battle.net. Trust me, there is so much more that needs to be fleshed out and discussed more (like the all new microtransaction model), which I will get into in a future post. I also had time to sit down with Dustin Browder, lead developer on StarCraft II, immediately following the panel and find out what he's loving the best about Battle.net 2.0.
Well, I'm off to a WoW interview with Amanda, so I have to sign off, but keep checking back, I plan to have some more cool stuff up later tonight. Also, make sure you're also checking out omgRPG.com for other BlizzCon updates.
