StarCraft II delayed into 2010

By Oli Welsh Published 6 August, 2009

Development of new Battle.net blamed.

Blizzard has admitted what everyone else had started to suspect - that its RTS sequel StarCraft II won't make it into shops this year. The first of its trilogy of releases, the Wings of Liberty campaign, will now see the light of day in the first half of 2010.

The news emerged from an earnings call with Activision Blizzard investors yesterday, in which the developer blamed continuing work on its new online gaming platform, the revamped Battle.net, for the delay.

"Over the past couple of weeks, it has become clear that it will take longer than expected to prepare the new Battle.net for the launch of the game," Blizzard said subsequently in a statement, quoted by GameSpot .

"The upgraded Battle.net is an integral part of the StarCraft II experience and will be an essential part of all of our games moving forward. This extra development time will be critical to help us realize our vision for the service."

"We recognize that we only get one chance to make a first impression," added Blizzard chief Mike Morhaime in the earnings call, according to Gamasutra.

Concerns that StarCraft II would be delayed surfaced when the game's multiplayer beta, which appeared to be very close to launch last month, failed to materialise.

Alarm bells rang on our recent visit to see the game, when few details of Battle.net were given and the single-player campaign was not shown - although what we did play of multiplayer was impeccably balanced and polished.

StarCraft II, already ten years behind the release of the original game, has been in development since 2003 and seen numerous hold-ups in that time, not least for the launch of World of Warcraft.

We'll have more on the game from this month's BlizzCon fan convention in a couple of weeks - 21st and 22nd August, to be precise. We'd bet on some kind of single-player campaign reveal there. In the meantime, there's plenty to mull over - including an amazing, must-watch Battle Report video - at the StarCraft II gamepage.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (27) Latest comment 3 years ago

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  • Pirotic #1 3 years ago

    In other news, half of korea have been put on suicide watch.

    Anybody else get the impression they are going to make battle.net a subscription service? would explain the merge with WoW accounts.

  • TheMoonRat #2 3 years ago

    Least surprising news of the year so far. Blizzard ALWAYS delay their games by years; but at the end of it you get something so polished it's blinding. Remind me a bit of Valve in that respect; I guess these two developers are big enough and earn enough to be able to release their games when they WANT to not when they NEED to, and as a result the quality of their games is just that little bit higher.

  • UncleLou #3 3 years ago

    The worst thing about this is that I can't see Blizzard releasing two single-player games in the same year. Bye bye, Diablo 3 2010. :-(

  • LiveForever #4 3 years ago

    Too many big releases coming at the end of the year me thinks.
    6 Years to make a game that is at the core very similar to the first, new graphics engine mainly from what ive seen.
    The Core of the Game I would say is done, Just release it on Steam Blizzard who cares about battle.net.

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #5 3 years ago

    Well Blizzard are having WoW account issues with the linked accounts anyway so all Blizzard products are effected atm - SC delayed D3 delayed as that uses it as well - i think the only BIG annoucement they could do at the Con is the next WoW pack.. shame really theres little point to actally hope for anything else to warant paying to watch the Con now

  • skillian #6 3 years ago

    Well, it's been nearly ten years already so I guess it's not that big a deal.

    I really hope UncleLou's not right though - Diablo 3's what I'm really looking forward too, and a 2011 release date would be ridiculous.

  • hiddenranbir #7 3 years ago

    I was putting off buying D2 and SC again cause I thought, "Oh well the new games are out soon anyway!"

    I hope someone makes a mod of a SC rpg in D3!

    Sort of like Space Siege, except not shit.

  • Daymare #8 3 years ago

    They should hire more people, ffs.

  • space_ace #9 3 years ago

    they never announced a release date, though?

  • ps3owner #10 3 years ago

    if D3 is release in 2011 I think there are some more ppl/nations that can be placed in suicide watch. Then again, whoever starts with the D3 will probably never ever have played the other versions. I am getting older by the minute, hurry up ffs

  • CaptainTrips #11 3 years ago

    In the gaming industry there's Blizzard, Valve, and then everyone else. I used to probably put Nintendo up there with them, but their recent track record of sticking the finger to their core audience has left me disillusioned - I think only the new Metroid release could possibly change that.

    Kudos to Blizzard for choosing to release their product when it's ready, rather than to rush out an unfinished game to meet the Christmas games sales. SC is still one of my favourite games of all time, and I have no doubt this will kick all kinds of ass.

  • robg #12 3 years ago

    They should hire more people, ffs.

    No, YOU should read the Mythical Man-Month :)

  • Daymare #13 3 years ago

    ^Yeah, I know I'm being naive but it's torture to have to wait so long for DIII! Torture, I tell ya!
    Edited by 1 at 06/08/09 @ 09:59

  • cianchristopher #14 3 years ago

    I wouldn't go as far as to say that there's Blizzard, Valve and then everyone else. In fact, if you look at what Infinity Ward have accomplished since Call of Duty in 2003 then I'd say that puts them ahead of those two.

    In fact, I also like the direction Valve are now taking - Orange Box in '07, Left 4 Dead in '08, Left 4 Dead 2 in '09.... At least we now get games to play, instead of endless previews to read.

  • Gl3n #15 3 years ago

    I'm not sure if all of these delays are down to Blizzard's incompetence to meet deadlines or their dedication to making the best product they can.

  • peak_performance #16 3 years ago

    "The Core of the Game I would say is done, Just release it on Steam Blizzard who cares about battle.net."

    Decline of PC gamers.

  • skillian #17 3 years ago

    In fact, if you look at what Infinity Ward have accomplished since Call of Duty in 2003

    What, lots more Call of Duty games? IW aren't at the level of Blizzard or Valve, not even close.

  • n3rdh8r #18 3 years ago

    Thank god, that's one more have-to-buy to scrape of the list.. phew...

    2010 is getting awfully crowded though.. :/

  • PlugMonkey #19 3 years ago

    Too many big releases coming at the end of the year me thinks.

    Like what? They've all slipped to 2010!

  • Rubarack #20 3 years ago

    I'm not sure if all of these delays are down to Blizzard's incompetence to meet deadlines or their dedication to making the best product they can.

    Well this one will be Activisions insistence on creating something you need to sell major organs to be able to play.

  • FWB #21 3 years ago

    It's Blizzard's game, they can do whatever they like with it. You will all buy it anyway.

  • LiveForever #22 3 years ago

    "The Core of the Game I would say is done, Just release it on Steam Blizzard who cares about battle.net."

    "Decline of PC gamers. "

    ???
    Edited by 1 at 06/08/09 @ 13:50

  • Pulsar_t #23 3 years ago

    It's Blizzard's game, they can do whatever they like with it. You will all buy it anyway.

    Not me no siree.

  • sneetch #24 3 years ago

    "The upgraded Battle.net is an integral part of the StarCraft II experience"

    I'd like to go on the record as saying that the upgraded Battle.net will be irrelevant for my StarCraft II experience, if I want my ass kicked by random strangers I'd go to [insert roughest city in your home country].

    I hadn't expected it this year either way, learned that lesson while waiting for The Burning Crusade. :)
    Edited by 1 at 06/08/09 @ 15:33

  • HyperShadow #25 3 years ago

    Oh no, it is delayed, I am so surprised

    I recently checked my Game preorders today, now my Diablo 3 one has passed the year mark. I wonder how much longer we'll have to wait, especially seeing as news on SC2 seems to be drying up with every passing month.

  • UncleLou #26 3 years ago

    To be fair, Diablo 3 has never had a release date yet. It's not Blizzard's fault when shops accepted pre-orders as soon as it was announced.

  • FooAtari #27 3 years ago

    Anyone fancy playing some Diablo 1? I have asked on the forum a couple of times but keep missing games.

    Tried playing it a few weeks ago but got my ass handed to me... Want to try and play both games before three gets released.