Blizzard Brings Battle.Net and StarCraft II to Facebook

What do you get when you plug Blizzard's Battle.net online gaming service into the most popular social networking service on the planet? Human sacrifice (by the three prime evils of hell)? Orcs and humans living together? Mass hysteria? A glimpse of Diablo's mythological Cow Level at last?

How about a place to boast your best Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty scores, or bat around your favorite zergling-rush strategies?

Blizzard says that's the plan, and it includes a feature that'll let you hook up with fellow Battle.net users by identifying which ones in your friends list are already members of Blizzard's competitive gaming matchmaker. Sound a bit like what Microsoft lets you do courtesy its Xbox 360-Facebook interlink? That's because it is.

When can you try it? "In the near future via the ongoing StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty beta test," writes Blizzard. Pretty soon, in other words. The beta's been ongoing since February, with the play-ready version of the PC-only real-time strategy game set to ship July 27.

As for anything more intrepid in the linkup, Blizzard's not talking, just teasing, with "information about other Facebook-related features on Battle.net will be announced at a later date."

In the meantime, T-minus 82 days to StarCraft II. Can you believe it's been 11 years?

May 6, 2010 9:00 pm
Matt Peckham
PC World

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