Blizzard took to the BlizzCon 2017 stage ready to make announcements and one of the first major announcements from the developer was that StarCraft 2 is going free-to-play.
StarCraft players and soon-to-be adopters can look forward to the strategy-based game going free-to-play on November 14th, but there are some details that should be made clear! The original Wings of Liberty single-player campaign and every Co-op Commander will be accessible for free. Additionally, players will be able to unlock access to StarCraft 2's multiplayer content for free.
Those that have already purchased any of the three campaigns as of October 31, will receive a "small thank-you in the form of an exclusive Ghost skin as well as three new portraits" from Blizzard.
Here's the rundown:
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The original Wings of Liberty campaign.
- Experience the original epic campaign that kicked off the StarCraft II saga!
- If you already own Wings of Liberty, you’ll receive the second installment in StarCraft II’s campaign, the zerg-focused Heart of the Swarm, for free. Make sure to log in between November 8 and December 8 to claim it.
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Access the ranked multiplayer
- You will be able to access the ranked multiplayer ladder to compete with other players to become the best of the best, complete with all of the multiplayer units from Wings of Liberty, Heart of the Swarm, and Legacy of the Void.
- All you have to do to unlock it permanently is earn 10 First Wins of the Day in Unranked or Versus A.I. play—our way to preserve the quality and integrity of the ranked experience.
- You can also purchase any of the campaigns or a seasonal War Chest to gain immediate access to ranked play if you desire.
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Current and upcoming Co-op Commanders are available to play for free up to level five, and the level restriction for weekly mutations has been removed.
- You’ll be able to tackle these extra challenging missions with your friends right away. The Co-op Commanders Raynor, Kerrigan, andArtanis will remain completely free, meaning that you can keep leveling them to your heart’s content.
If you enjoy what you see in StarCraft II, you can grab Heart of the Swarm, Legacy of the Void, and Nova Covert Ops individually for $14.99 or as a bundle for $39.99. Additionally, Blizzard will offer premium upgrades like announcer packs, special skins, and new Co-op Commanders throughout the game's life-span as microtransactions.
