Sporting a vibrant 3D-graphics engine, StarCraft II will once again center on the clash between the protoss, terrans, and zerg, with each side deploying legions of veteran, upgraded, and new unit types. Unparalleled online play for StarCraft II will be available through a new version of Battle.net, Blizzard Entertainment's world-renowned gaming service. Battle.net has been redesigned from the ground up to be the premier online gaming destination for Blizzard gamers, with several enhancements and new features, such as voice communication, cloud file storage, leagues and ladders, achievements, stat-tracking, and more.

The solo campaign for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty will continue the epic saga where it left off in StarCraft: Brood War. The story line chronicles the exploits of marshal-turned-rebel-leader Jim Raynor and features both familiar faces and new heroes. Players will be able to tailor the experience, choosing their own mission path and selecting technology and research upgrades to suit their playing style throughout the 29-mission campaign. Several challenge-mode mini-games will also be included, with focused goals designed to ease players into the basics of multiplayer strategies.

Blizzard has replaced the previously available StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty demo with the recently launched StarCraft II: Starter Edition. StarCraft II: Starter Edition allows anyone to play the following content for free (all you need is a Battle.net account and Internet connection):

• The first four missions of the StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty single-player campaign, including Mar Sara 1-3 and the choice to embark on Tychus’s first mission or Dr. Hansen’s first mission.
• The first two Challenges: Tactical Command and Covert Ops.
• Access to the terran race in Custom Games and Single-Player vs. AI.
• Access to the following custom maps (map selection may rotate over time):
  • Xel’Naga Caverns
  • Shattered Temple
  • Discord IV
  • High Orbit
    

Any campaign progress and achievements you earn while playing StarCraft II: Starter Edition are automatically saved to your Battle.net account, and will carry over should you ever upgrade from the Starter Edition to the full version of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.

If you’re thinking of getting into the game or know a friend who's been interested in joining you in the Koprulu Sector, it's easier than ever to give the ultimate real-time strategy experience a spin. Just head over to the Starter Edition page here, or log in to an existing Battle.net account.

Unlike our past trial versions of StarCraft II, the Starter Edition does not have any time restrictions and offers a wider range of content to players. StarCraft II players with a full game license can join a custom game on the Starter Edition maps to play with Starter Edition players. You may play matches with friends by simply creating a custom game on a trial map and using the game invite functionality to invite friends to the game. If a player with a full license wants to create a custom game that can be joined by a Starter Edition player, he or she should select one of the maps marked by the special symbol.

Features:

• Fast-paced, hard-hitting, tightly balanced competitive real-time strategy gameplay that recaptures and improves on the magic of the original game
• Three completely distinct races: Protoss, Terran, and Zerg
• New units and gameplay mechanics further distinguish each race
• Groundbreaking single-player campaign
• Vibrant new 3D-graphics engine with support for dazzling visual effects and massive unit and army sizes
• Full multiplayer support, with new competitive features and matchmaking utilities available through Battle.net
• Full map-making and scripting tools to give players incredible freedom in customizing and personalizing their gameplay experience

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty will be available on DVD-ROM for Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 and Macintosh. The standard edition will sell for a suggested retail price of $59.99 and will also be available shortly after release as a download through the online Blizzard Store. The special Collector’s Edition package, which is priced at $99.99 and will only be available at retail stores. Players who purchase either edition will be able to play online for no additional fee through the new version of Battle.net.