StarCraft II Monthly Fees are Confirmed, but As of Yet Only in Russia

StarCraft II fans in Russia will pay for the game differently than the rest of Europe.

Blizzard previously told us they would adapt the monetizing of StarCraft II to each region and Russians have obviously been deemed more accepting to monthly fees than other parts of Europe.

When the initial term has run out, a monthly fee will have to be paid to continue to play online. Blizzard has not yet confirmed exact price range.

Blizzard has only specifically confirmed this will not happen in Poland, where information first arose.

[Terrice]

This can't be a good sign...

[Leord]

I can kind of understand their thinking behind this, but any sort of monthly fees in the west must be a bad PR decision :P

[champ21]

Looks like they want to test the waters.

They will initially sell as many copies as they can, later on when the sales dry up. They might as well start charging for Battle net. At which point they wont care if the game sells further or not, they will milk the people who want to carry on playing the game.

Think ill stick with SC1 and warcraft 3.

[van-essa]

Bobby!!!!!!!!

[Bereaver]

There is no way in hell, I would ever pay 2 play this online.

This doesn't require anywhere as much as an MMO requires.

Constant updates, new quests, and whatever else needs be done.

[wicko]

Wow, screw off Activision.. I mean, it could be a Blizzard decision but it sounds more like something right up Kotick's alley.

[hash01]

Guess they want apply the world of warcraft model with starcraft2!!
Guess I wont be getting starcraft2 then.

[JsonHenry]

I don't want this game that bad. I'll just wait till they make a PROPER Command and Conquer or Supreme Commander sequel.

[Proxy]

I've long speculated about a RTS which reports stats of winning players to a central server which then runs automated balancing. Basically, "oh look, 99% of winners produce nothing but unit X; lets nerf unit X." Save developers the need to balance if implemented well; and would give a ever change game dynamic to keep things fresh. "Unit Y is looking strong this week, I'll have to watch out for them."

Anyways, no typical RTS is worth a monthly fee. And SupCom2 is great, despite what those above me may say. :)

[Tarmgar]

I love Starcraft. It was my first RTS and I still love it to death. But a monthly fee....I'll pass on possbily the best game to come, and then get ruined by monthly fees/micro transactions.

[Vertius]

Nonetheless...

http://eu.blizzard.com/en-g...

"PARIS, France - April 8, 2010 - Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that its highly anticipated real-time strategy game, StarCraft® II: Wings of Liberty™, will be available both in a standard edition and in a limited-release Collector's Edition packed with exclusive bonus materials. Players who purchase either edition will be able to play online for no additional fee through the new version of Battle.net®, the premier online gaming destination for Blizzard Entertainment gamers."

It's hard to miss it in the press release...

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

...with a Battle Net 2.0 emulator.

[vhero]

anbody who pays to play an RTS like this online is retarded. Blizzard/activision are trying to squeeze money from every avenue and as it worked with modern warfare they trying it with this now. No doubt hackers will find a way around this from day 2. This decision could MASSIVELY hit hurt sales. Now we know the real reason they removed LAN nothing to do with piracy its so they could charge for Online and people couldn't use an online server emulator.

[Cogo]

Well, seeing this, there might very well be some European countries with similar schemes then...

[Dorjan]

omg...

and no lan = ...

SC1 will have to do!

[Cogo]

This is one of many reasons LAN should have been added!

[dabri5]

This is probably THE reason it wasn't.

[Recka]

Ouch, would suck to live in Russia :(

[Terrice]

Hope it doesn't slowly extend to other countries.

[AndyA]

Kudos to the Poles. Fight the power.

[Leord]

I'm fairly certain this won;t happen in Europe at all.

Mind you, it could be introduced 4-5 years down the line...

[Fyzzu]

In Soviet Russia, Starcraft 2 plays you.

[Cogo]

Dang, you beat me to it :)

[Cogo]

"In Soviet Russia, Blizzard focks YOU!"

[Leord]

Oh, noes, the Soviet Russia jokes are upon us :P

[UIOP]

I don't like this a all. What is there to guarantee that they do not launch without monthly fees here, and then add fees later.. once every one already bought it..

[Cogo]

We'll have to carefully study the EULA and TOS about it. Unless it says "free unlimited access", it's a risk.

[Fyzzu]

It's a risk anyway. There's nothing stopping them from amending the EULA and TOS later - note that every WoW patch makes you go through all of that stuff again; you're essentially agreeing to a revised service. Depending on where in the world you are, though, there is the possibility of a refund should that happen.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Activision Blizzard.

[Holyknight3000]

................i would shoot myself if we had to PAY for bnet 2.0.

I pay to play wow thats different. If i had to pay to play sc2 then /wave.

No thanks. I can understand micro-transactions not monthly crap!

HK

[Captain Tuttle]

It's inevitable. Don't shoot yourself though, it's just a game.

[Maticus]

A monthly fee??? The world would go insane if they tried to bring that in across the board.

[champ21]

This is bad, first Activision charges 59usd for MW2 for PC. They even increased prices for the console version in europe which is just sad console users already pay a premium.

Now Blizzard wants monthly charges in russia. It just shows their current attitude is to milk the market.

[mirroredderorrim]

Games are viable revenue generators. This does not surprise me.

They see money, while we see unfairness.

[champ21]

Yea but there hasnt been an rts to date which i am aware of that charges a monthly fee. This is just sad.

They are releasing this over 3 episodes @59usd each. Which is not bad, i expect each of them may sell 10million copies. Which is great as it is.

Charging monthly fees for a RTS is just wrong.

[jdktech2010]

If they make it where that fee is for all bnet games (including WoW) that's a little different but still not likable....have to monitor this

[Xulfxulf]

Have to say this is exactly what I've been expecting since bliz started talking about no LAN and new Battle.net and enhanced revenue streams. Capitalism marches on.

I don't think they'll go full monthly fee in the US on SC2 and D3, but they'll charge for something. ladders, rankings, special b.net content, etc. I've been amused and distressed by the willful naivety of so many fans who all along have insisted that nothing like that could ever happen.

[mirroredderorrim]

Sign of the times. I've been angry about the way games are being handled for too long.

I used to gripe about everything this gen, because, well.. our experiences are getting shorter, content is being cut up and sold to us in increments at a price that; if you end up putting together the monies from the content and the original retail product, it adds up and might I add, is not very good for us, the "gamers", the "customers" or my personal favorite "the suckers" we're all suckers this gen, one way or another, whether we want to be or not and regardless if we want to see and accept it or not.

Also, keep in mind they are keeping content locked inside of our discs, so that they can sell us a small 100-400kb file to let us use the stuff that is on the disc.
That depresses me now, before it angered me, but that is a waste of my time and energy. Depression is much better, because I can get over it quickly.

I'm glad I have hung on to my old games. Entire Megaman series, X included, Final Fantasy series, Resident Evil series and so on.
I am SO glad I kept these games, because when I look at them and much of the stuff now... it's hard to accept what's going on right now compared to how lovely things were just a few short years ago.

DLC, hollywood style-milking and DRM suck.
Edit: one of my favorites, though... is how our beloved Japanese studios are selling out, westernizing stuff, and outsourcing their IP's to foreign devs who have no clue how to continue great ideas, or rather, build upon them.

I'm looking at you, Silent Hill: Homecoming

[kasasensei]

Good job, blizzard... Is it is confirmed, it is a no purchase for me.

[kesvalk]

this generation of gaming is being a very big joke, lots of half assed games, absurd services that should be free (did you need to pay a montly fee to watch a dvd with your friends?) and lots, and i mean lots of milking...

i am tired of this generation...

[CARRIERHASARRIVED]

I was saying the same thing 2 years ago. Easily the worst generation so far, haha.

No really, it has been.

[Darkfiber]

Activision strikes again! Having to buy the game 3 times already was a deal breaker for me, this is just icing on the cake. Definitely not getting this. Not worth paying hundreds of dollars to play a 12 year old game.

[Lirky]

Nice, i hope d3 is pay 2 play as well i think they are doing that to keep pirates from playing their games. Also this will make me not even want the damn games lol, so yeah its funny how they will mess it all up even if it was free online gaming and then they make it pay 2 play.

Blizzard will hurt their fanbase if they keep this up.

[RussianGirl]

This information should be more accurate. When you buy the game in Russia you get 4 or 12 months of online-gameplay. It's more than enough to "taste" it. Only after 4/12 months you have to pay monthly "tax".

Why? Because many Russians can't afford 60 dollars games. That's why Blizzard will sell russian version of the game for ~$15 (4 months) and ~$30 (12 months). Of course, there will be a possibility to upgrade it to the european version and play on euro servers.

You can find more here: http://bit.ly/bZMm7k

[thehitman]

for clearing up the reason.

[Noctis Aftermath]

With all these misleading titles lately you would think the mods would do something about it.

Also thanks for clearing it up.

[moe84]

What people may not be realizing is that some countries charge or tax the hell out of people for certain services. Sort of like a sin tax. There could be some law in Russia and other countries that allows the govt to charge companies like Blizzard for allowing the use of their product. So, in turn the companies tack on a fee to the players to continue making their money. I really don't see Blizzard charging Europe, USA or oriental countries for B.Net use. However, Blizzard has already said the some content will be paid for. Premium maps and possibly custom scenario(campaign) will be for sale also. But this hardly means that you will have to pay to play on B.Net
...
Unless Activision screws it up somehow. But time will tell. In the next few months as more info rolls out we'll see what's really up.

As it stands, SC2 CE is still a purchase for me.

[Lucreto]

Well I won't play this online then. I hope the single player is fairly decent.

[TheIneffableBob]

StarCraft II to be sold cheaper in Russia but with limited multiplayer
http://news.bigdownload.com...

"According to StarCraftwire.net, Russians will be able buy a DVD version of the game for about half the price of the regular European version. Another version will be sold in a jewel case only for an even lower price. Both versions will only let Russian players go online and play with other Russian gamers, rather than the entire European player base. The DVD version gives multiplayer access for a year while the jewel case gives access for just 120 days.

In a translated Blizzard message board post they state that this pricing system for Russia "is just an additional option that gives the chance to play for those who can not afford to buy the full version right away." They add that Russians will have the chance to upgrade to a full version that will allow them full access to all European servers."

[champ21]

That surely sounds more reasonable.

[5tgyw3ty34]

Large part of the attraction of broodwar was that online play was free. For me this was even the reason to purchase a PC in the first place. If they charge for sc II they can keep that cr@p. After playing the beta i have to say the game is nothing special anyway, unlike the first starcraft when it was released.

[darksied]

To be honest, monthly fees for a game that should be free to play after purchase (not WoW, obviously, but Starcraft 2?!!) is worse than any DRM. I wasn't a fan of Ubisoft after their terrible DRM, but at least part of me can understand it (trying to protect their product by any means necessary). This, however, (even if it's just in Russia for now) is just a tactic to milk more money from customers; and this is already in a struggling economy. I don't know who's to blame for this, Activision or Blizzard, and at this point I don't care.

Either Blizzard is ok with this, which means they've turned into greedy bastards, or this is Activision's fault. Which, in that case, shouldn't Blizzard have enough money to break away from Activision and publish their own games? They make so much with WoW.

If this is true, i.e. paying to play this online, and not just some misinformed article, then Blizzard is going to lose a lot more buyers than when they announced there would be no LAN.

[olon12]

wowowowooq racist to mother russia

[zhark]

Blizzard is getting really greedy. first they split the game into three to charge three times as much, and now this? I think they're measuring the reactions worldwide to see if they can implement this billing to other countries. I for one was planning on buying SC2.... now, perhaps I'll 'try' it first and they won't get a cent from me. Basterds!

[kraze07]

Seems like some people still don't know the reason for this.