Summary
Blizzardis adding three of its classic games to the Battle.net service. The release brings some classic 90s titles to the platform, including some ofBlizzard’s first entries in the real time strategy genre.
Battle.net is Blizzard’s online game store and platform that lets players buy most of the studio’s titles. The platform launched in December 1996, just prior to the release of the originalDiabloin January 1997. As well as allowing purchases and being used to launch most Blizzard games, Battle.net offers some social networking features, so players can see the games friends are playing and provides cross-game messaging and voice chat features. In 2017, Blizzard announced that it intended torebrand Battle.net as Blizzard Tech, but later reversed the decision to avoid causing confusion and to continue benefiting from the existing brand following. There’s also a mobile version of Battle.net that offers mobile games and access to some social networking features.
Original Warcraft and Diablo Titles Added To Battle.net
Althoughmost of Blizzard’s best gamesare available through the service, there have been notable absences.Overwatch,Destiny 2, andWarcraft 3: Reign of Chaosare not available, while some of the studio’s first games have also been missing, until now.Blizzard announced via TwitterthatWarcraft: Orcs & Humans,Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness, andDiabloare all now available on Battle.net.Warcraft 2includes theBeyond the Dark Portalexpansion, whileDiablobuyers also receive theHellfireexpansion.
Warcraft: Orcs & Humansis the original title that, in 1994, launched the massive franchise that now consists of six base games and dozens of expansions and has spawned the release of thepopular strategy card gameHearthstone, which is also set in theWarcraftuniverse.Warcraft 2: Tides of Darknesswas the follow-up to the original real-time strategy, while the 1997 classicDiablois a dungeon-crawler that places more of an emphasis on action role playing.
The three titles are some of Blizzard’s earliest games and adding them to the Battle.net store gives gamers a chance to see where the two series started or to relive early playing days. Battle.net includes most of Blizzard’s best games including theStarcraftandHearthstoneseries andOverwatch. TheCall of Dutyseries can also be found on Blizzard’s platform, butDestinyfans will have to head to Steam to get their fill of the first-person shooter. It is also potentially good news for fans worried thatBlizzard is moving away from the Battle.net platform.
