"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" multiplayer enthusiasts are going to see a lot of similarities popping up in their Battle.net experiences with "StarCraft 2" and future WarCraft games. Blizzard laid out its manifesto for upgrading its online multiplayer system, and the new features they plan to implement will reach across all of their upcoming online PC games.
"We want to take advantage of the opportunity to relaunch Battle.net," project director Greg Canessa said in a video posted on StarCraft2.com. "We want to create a service with a set of features that not only works for 'World of Warcraft' and 'StarCraft II' but will power all Blizzard games going forward."
Blizzard wants those upgrades to center around keeping single-player experiences connected to events on Battle.net, keeping arenas competitive with more rewards and unlockable tag and achievement features, and encouraging social interaction within the Battle.net community.
"Unlockable rewards in the new Battle.net come in two forms for 'StarCraft II' -- portraits and decals. There'll be an interface in your character profile where you'll be able to see the entire collection of portraits and decals," Canessa explained. "You'll be able to select any portrait that you've earned as your portrait to show off to the community."
Such additions demonstrate how closely Blizzard has been watching their competition in the gaming world, which is why I mention "Modern Warfare 2," whose callsigns and achievements sound a lot like the second bullet in Blizzard's online presentation. So long as Battle.net doesn't expand to include me hearing obnoxious, foul-mouthed 8-year-olds during single-player modes, I think the plans sound pretty neat.
Do Blizzard's Battle.net changes sound good to you? What else would you like to see happen with the service? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.