StarCraft 2 PC Beta client is now live [update]

by David Hinkle on Feb 17th 2010 3:59PM

Quick, stop reading this post and head on over to Battle.net to grab the PC beta client for StarCraft 2! (It appears the Mac client is not available yet). Of course, you must have previously volunteered for the beta at Blizzard's site, so if this sentence is news to you, then ... sorry. You're what scientists call out of luck.

The client weighs in at 1.64GB and will take a while to download, so have a crossword handy. See you out there!

Update: Blizzard has revealed the minimum system requirements for the beta. Check 'em out past the break.
PC Minimum Requirements:

Windows XP SP3/Vista SP1/Windows 7
2.2 Ghz Pentium IV or equivalent AMD Athlon processor
1 GB system RAM/1.5 GB for Vista and Windows 7
128 MB NVidia GeForce 6600 GT/ATI Radeon 9800 PRO video card
1024x768 minimum display resolution
4 GB free hard space (Beta)
Broadband connection

Source

Tags: activision, beta, blizzard, rts, starcraft-2

Reader Comments (95)

Button's always been there since they announced the beta. It was simply the opt-in for it. You registered a game on your account, clicked it, then let it check your system specs.

Clean up on aisle nerd.

http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/

Blizzard's support site says: a) expect an email, and b) beta invites are coming in waves.

I haven't owned a Blizzard game since Starcraft 1 so I never could sign up for this. Why a closed off beta? :(

If you own Starcraft 1, why didn't you make a Battle.net account and register it?

Cause I bought it 11 years ago! I've moved quite a bit since then. When I do come across it, it sits there with it's CD case but no installation code in site.

This sucks only because I know all my friends played WoW which means they'll be playing this for sometime. Short of buying another blizzard game, is there anyway to sign up and wait?

If you have the CD case, then you have the install code. It should be on the back of the CD case, big string of numbers.

Out of curiosity I went to Blizzard.net. Turns out I must of made an account when I bought Warcraft III used from Gamestop years ago. You know when they use to sell used PC games? Hopefully I can be put on some sort of "when we get around to it will add you" list.

@Crusnik Trust me I love the help but it's not there. I was maybe 10 or 11 when i bought the game. It's in some 311 case that I stole from my Dad when I was a kid. Sure I got made fun of as a kid growing up but I had Star Craft to drown out the hate growing up.

Also turns out I'm an idiot and the box art tied to my account was just a trail for World of Warcraft.

Then everyone else left.

It's about time.

congrats, your 4th one for the day.

So I take it playing Diablo II online with my battle.net account doesn't automatically add it to my games list? Dammit, I'm at college and my CD key is at home (I hope). I wouldn't even know where to tell my parents to look for it. Fffffffuuuuuu.....

There's not going to be a mac version for this phase of the beta.
"During this phase a Mac version will NOT be available, please check back."
/sad face

roflmac.

There's not going to be a mac version for this phase of the beta.
"During this phase a Mac version will NOT be available, please check back."
/sad face

Noo I haven't gotten an email yet!

DARN IT! I only profiled my Mac on my B.NET account, but i have a PC too!!!! ARRG!

One step closer to Diablo III.

Progress.

Im logged in and opted for it when it became available where do I go!????

I HAVE THE BETA. I am so jealous of myself!

FYI: If I'm correct, sometimes you may not get an email, but you should still check your Battle.net account. I didn't get an email, but I can download the client. My other friends did not receive an email, but canNOT download the client. Thus, I assume some people may actually be in the beta but may not receive an email.

Secondly, if you can download the client, turn off the Peer-to-Peer download option. I quadrupled my download speed when I did this.

holy hell my computer can actually run this just barely but still...did not expect this .... happy times :) Now i just need to get a key.

I have this tiny little image beside beta profile management with the sc2 logo on it... does that count? lol

I signed up for the beta about 12 minutes after it was announced and can't get it now, so I'm not entirely sure how this selection process works.

seems like its heavily based on System Specs and previous owned games perhaps.

I have every blizzard game you can register on battle.net registered, and multiple copies of starcraft, d2, and d2x.
If it's based on previous owned games, man i would love to see what these guys got.

Beta selection is always based on system specs, and random selection.

If you are a member of a big fan site, you get in (like the editors of DiabloII.net back in the day.)
If you are a large gaming site, like this one, you get a good chance to get in.
If you are friends or family of a Blizzard employee, you have a very good chance to get in.
If you have one of the guaranteed spots (from a card) you get in.
If you have been in previous Blizzard betas and did very well with reports and feedback, you get into the "Friends of Blizzard" group, and get in.

Anyone else is randomly selected.

If you have a copy of Diablo 1 or StarCraft, click "Credits", and wait until the end. The "Ring of 1000" are the random beta testers that got in on that. Used to be a 1000 max in the public, and your name got in the game.

anyone else have a Beta Key they entered from Blizzcon 2008 and STILL not get into the beta? I thought the point of these things is that it was guaranteed... sigh

I'm refreshing my account page hoping it'll appear... so many years of waiting and wanting!

but i figure they're testing their servers as it goes, so i SUPPOSE i can wait a little longer..... (not really. im going effing crazy here)

I dont have wow but I have the other blizzard games and I got the beta.

i've got warcraft 3 + the frozen throne and diablo 2 + the expansion + world of warcraft on my account, i signed up for the beta probably a year ago, and i still didn't get in.

They don't care about the $ you've given them. They want to test across a wide range of systems / video cards / processors. Upload your system specs, make sure you meet the minimum and wait for your golden ticket!

you know whats sad i asked my friends if they got in one did but he cant be bothered to DL the client....

Oh, that's bullshit, you have to already have a Blizzard game in your account to even be eligible, and even then you might not even get in. And since they hardly put out games except once every blue moon, and I don't want to have to buy WoW or Starcraft 1, it sucks.

I got an invite, but I have like every single blizzard game on my battle.net account so it probably wasn't by luck.

I need to learn how to RTS again :(

Can people who got invites so far confirm, what kind of specs do you have?

I'm curious if they are beginning with people under specs, well over specs, or somewhere in between...

I don't want to publicly say, but let's just say I turn down my Team Fortress 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 settings down to Medium-Low. Got my invite with that. Also I use a 1024x768 resolution, which happens to be the just minimum requirement.

3.00 ghz C2D
9800 GTX SLI
4 gb ram

i am so relieved reading those requirements.

Reading those requirements might be relieving, but it could also insinuate that they are choosing people who barely meet the requirements so that they'll be absolutely sure of the lower limits they put on the box when the sell the game.

If this is the case, then anyone with a high-end system might be getting the shaft... at least for now. =/

i feel that pain. my F5 has never looked so punished

Will this beta offer gameplay via LAN? over hamachi? or leaf?

Previous 50 Comments

StarCraft 2 PC Beta client is now live [update]

Reader Comments (95)

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 6:58PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:29PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:31PM DarknessBear said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:37PM wealthofinsight said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:38PM MarkHawk said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:39PM Crusnik said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:44PM MarkHawk said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:46PM Crusnik said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:48PM MarkHawk said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:52PM MarkHawk said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:38PM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:41PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:43PM HighFiveJesus said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 4:55PM SpeeGold said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 5:00PM Fraul Pench said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 5:14PM LordPoncho said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 5:03PM Fraul Pench said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 5:04PM X3HaloEd said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 5:13PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 5:16PM Vidikron said

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Posted: Feb 17th 2010 6:55PM Ogo2k said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 7:06PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 7:20PM Kingsly said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 8:46PM Mavrick593 said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 9:31PM s7r1k3r said

Posted: Feb 17th 2010 10:28PM Mixomatosys said

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