ANZ GAME SERVERS FOR STARCRAFT® II NOW AVAILABLE AHEAD OF STARCRAFT II: LEGACY OF THE VOID™
Sydney, Australia—November 2, 2015—Blizzard Entertainment is pleased to announce the immediate availability of StarCraft® II game servers hosted in Australia, ahead of the November 10 launch of StarCraft II®: Legacy of the Void™. This new infrastructure should result in improved gameplay for players across Australia and New Zealand.
“In addition to an epic single-player campaign, social and competitive multiplayer has always been a core component of the StarCraft experience,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Deploying local game servers for StarCraft II in ANZ reaffirms our ongoing commitment to the region and should deliver a new standard of gameplay for players there.”
Legacy of the Void is the thrilling new chapter of StarCraft II, adding an exciting new single-player story centred on the enigmatic protoss and their fight to reclaim their homeworld, and new multiplayer features that make playing with friends easier and more fun than ever. For more information about StarCraft II and Legacy of the Void, visit www.starcraft2.com.
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes nineteen #1 games* and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.
*Sales and/or downloads. Based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void and the availability of servers for StarCraft II in the Australia New Zealand region, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
StarCraft II ANZ game server FAQ
Q: What benefits will local game servers have for StarCraft II players in ANZ?
A: By hosting StarCraft II game servers in Australia, ANZ players should benefit from improved gameplay responsiveness and a better gameplay experience.
Q: When will these new game servers be available?
A: Local StarCraft II game servers are available now!
Q: Will these new game servers affect who I can play with in ANZ and the Americas?
A: No. Because the new local StarCraft II game servers will communicate with the existing servers based in the Americas region, you will be able to seamlessly play, group up, and chat with friends in both ANZ and the Americas as you do currently.
Q: Will I need to pay any fees, or register to transfer?
A: No. Because the new ANZ StarCraft II game servers will continue to be linked with the Americas, all existing levels, achievements, and match history will be retained. Australian and New Zealand players currently accessing other regions, and who wish to benefit from the improved performance of locally-hosted game servers, are encouraged to switch to the Americas region in preparation for the launch of Legacy of the Void.
Q: Can I choose which game server I connect to?
A: Our most recent update, Heart of the Swarm Patch 3.0.3, allows the option to select a preferred game server in the StarCraft II Options Menu. However, we would like to clarify a few points about this feature before you try it out.
- This setting will default to Best Match, but players may wish to change this if they notice connection issues when playing on a specific server.
- Please note: As we continue to improve and expand our game sites, our intention is for Best Match to provide the best play experience for most players. If you are not experiencing issues, it is highly recommend that you leave this set to Best Match.
- If players in a party have conflicting game site preferences, the game server that is most commonly selected among the party’s members will be used.
- It is still possible for players to get matched into games on servers they did not select. This will be rare, but can still happen.
- If players in a party have different preferred game servers selected, it will try to match to the most preferred site.
- If you are not in a party, you are almost guaranteed to receive the game server you select, but there is still a small possibility you will be connected to a different server.
Q: Will the new ANZ game servers only be available to players who purchase Legacy of the Void, or will they also work for Wings of Liberty and Heart of the Swarm players?
A: All StarCraft II players will be able to take advantage of the local game servers straight away at no additional cost, regardless of whether they purchase a copy of Legacy of the Void.
Q: Where are the servers physically located?
A: The ANZ StarCraft II game servers will be hosted within a data centre in Sydney, Australia, and service players across Australia and New Zealand.
Q: Will local game servers change the way I activate Legacy of the Void at launch, or any other Blizzard Entertainment games?
A: No. Local StarCraft II game servers will have no impact on the way players currently register physical copies of Blizzard Entertainment games, or the unlock timing or process for activating digital copies of StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. While the new, local game servers should provide an improved gameplay experience, product activation and authentication will continue to be handled by Battle.net servers located in the Americas. Players in ANZ will be able to begin the fight to reclaim the protoss homeworld from 4 P.M. AEDT on launch day, November 10, 2015.
Q: Does this mean other Blizzard games will also be getting local servers?
A: Blizzard Entertainment is committed to providing our players around the world with the most epic experiences possible. We will continue to explore optimal solutions for all of our franchises in each region. The addition of local game servers supporting StarCraft II brings the title in line with our existing ANZ game server offerings for World of Warcraft, Diablo III, and Heroes of the Storm.
