14 DAY TRIAL // Starcraft II just might be the biggest videogame slated to be released in late 2009, but pushed back into 2010. Activision Blizzard was surely concerned about the fact that the real time strategy sequel, which has been expected by gamers for the better part of a decade, would compete directly for the money of the player with Modern Warfare 2, now out, but the developers surely have used the extra time in order to make the title even better.
The problem is that gamers have not seen any part of time up close an personal and the beta stage, which was promised for late 2009 immediately after the announcement of the delay, should only come in 2010.
Chris Sigaty, who is one of the producers working on Starcraft II, stated at a Russian videogaming expo, called IgroMir, that the beta would not be opened before January 2010. It is not clear how many people will be able to take part in it and provide feedback on the experience or how many changes Blizzard is set to make based on the observations of players taking part in; it has not confirmed for how long the beta stage will run.
Starcraft II should be launched at some point during the second quarter of 2010, which means somewhere between April and June. The release will bear the subtitle Wings of Liberty and will contain the single player element related to the Terran faction. Blizzard has decided to split the single player in three separate releases, which are set to arrive about one year apart.
The multiplayer element is complete from the first release but tweaks can be made in upcoming installments. The decision to split the game up in three parts has caused some consternation among gamers who are interested in the franchise.