'Epic' StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition announced

by Ludwig Kietzmann on Apr 8th 2010 2:18PM

Click to enlarge e-pic

Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime calls it an "epic" Collector's Edition, fit for celebrating the long-awaited return of real-time strategy behemoth, StarCraft. The special StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty set includes: a 2GB USB thumb drive which mimics protagonist Jim Raynor's dog tag (and comes loaded with the original StarCraft and its Brood War expansion); a 176-page art book; a behind-the-scenes DVD with interviews, cinematics and developer commentary; a soundtrack CD; a prequel issue in the StarCraft comic series; a mini Thor in-game pet for World of Warcraft; and "exclusive" Battle.net content, such as alternate character decals, skins and profile portraits.

The space treasure trove will set you back $100 -- a cost that is likely to generate much less discussion than the price of the regular edition (picture), which will retail for the atypical suggested price of $60. Blizzard also intends to distribute the game in digital format shortly after launch.

Of course, if you've become enamored with StarCraft II's ongoing beta as we have, you're ready to exchange every one of your Liberty Dollars for the privilege of knowing the release date. That, Blizzard says, "will be announced in the coming weeks."

StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty (box art)

Source

Tags: activision, activision-blizzard, blizzard, collectors-edition, mac, mike-morhaime, retail, rts, starcraft-2, starcraft-2-wings-of-liberty

Reader Comments (98)

Need an edit button Koystiq.

SC -> SC2: Sequel*

There, fixed.

Blizzard Head of Financial Department: 50$ like we use to.
Activision: You sir are fired, and you won't recive your bonuses.
*new* Blizzard Head of Financial Department: 60$, just like Modern Warfare 2 and console games.
The Gamer: You do pay 10$ to Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo for every title, so infact you only sell them for 50$.... Why put 10$ extra on PC games?
Activision: Because PC-gamers in general are stupid and will pay the Activision tax if we tell them to!
Activision: And we'll force Blizzard to make Battle.Net a subscription service too soon. So we will earn all your hard earned dimes every single month... MuHahahaha!

You do realize that Warcraft III was $60 way back in 2002, right?

if b.net becomes sub based, I'm not playing any more of those games... I'm sure many still will, but that's where I draw MY line. SC and D are very good games, but there's no way I'm going to be a part of that money siphon. I played WoW until I got to the end game and promptly quit my sub. I regret the day I ever started playing WoW because I know that when Catalyst drops, you'll be able to find me back in Azeroth spending double digit hours per day.

I saw.

You replied failed.

Unintentionally, of course. My stupid browser won't let me stay logged in to Joystiq, so it posted my reply as a wholly new comment.

Mine auto refreshes after I hit the reply button after I comment. so to comment I hit reply, refresh, then hit reply again and it works.

That's a special edition that might be worth the cost for a change, actually. Pretty tempting....
Although, I'm also afraid to completely murder my social life and this package seems ripe for that to happen.
Kidding aside, great value, I think.

Until they give me all three races/campaigns in a single box I'll be sailing the 7 seas with a black flag for this title

And without the Battlenet support of the official version, you'll be sailing those 7 seas alone.

I bet you that within 1 month there is an alternative (something like bnetd) that will let people play online without battlenet

And Blizzard will sue the makers of that and shut it down like they did when someone tried to make an alternative to Battlenet for SC1.

Could always LAN it.

Oh wait....

Uh oh. The Standard Edition box says internet connection required. That worries me.

Because you have to be on Battle.net to play it.

You have to sign in once, then you can play offline. There is a "guest" mode for single player, but it doesn't save Achievements or anything.

I have just recently jumped on the RTS wagon and I really do like the genre, but if I have to pay for each faction I'll just stick to console gaming :( Until they hopefully offer a treasure chest like pack.

I would get it even if it was 150$. I am a sucker for Blizzard's Collector Editions.

Woo, preordered Starcraft 2 at Amazon back when it was still $50, I've been guaranteed that price. Preordering finally pays off in cash!

$60? Aw crap.

Jizz-tastic? I say, yay!

How many missions do I get per faction? Because guess the eff what? if you're charging me $60 for 1/3 of a total game, you can go ahead and grab your ankles so I have an easier time stuffing my foot up Uranus.

I will not be buying this if it's $60 for 12 missions or something. I'm not even going to give you $60 for 12 missions and kick-butt multiplayer. F-U.

So I guess expansions just kind of went out of style, but sequels are all fine and dandy?

I don't get it. I mean, for one, they claim the campaign is going to be a lot longer in content than the first game was (I'm guessing they mean both the vanilla and expansion). They also state that each campaign is going to have some sort if interesting way to play them outside of the RTS stuff, like the ship hub you are in as Terran. Plus you will also touch a little bit on the other races, and there will probably be a lot of single-player-only touches they'll throw in there.

But the multiplayer is straight up, all 3 races, and hell, worth most of that $60 left already, I'd think.

But it's your money.

I'm saying if they want $60 for 1/3 of a total game then no. If each campaign is as long as the entire first game, then yes, especially with all the stuff you mentioned thrown in. That has some value.

The Wings of Liberty campaign is the length of the entire first game. This is Blizzard's whole reasoning behind have two expansions instead of one: they want to flesh out the story and create a unique gameplay experience with each race.

The campaigns for each race will play differently. In Wings of Liberty, there will be hubs you will be able to visit where you'll be able to interact with other characters, find side missions to go on, and purchase units and upgrades.

Here's a video showing what the single-player is like. It'll be 3 years from when this video was shown to when StarCraft 2 is released so the single-player will probably look a bit different, but it gives you the general idea of what it'll be like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2L3wFZOHGM&feature=fvw

From the press release...

"StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty's solo campaign will continue the epic saga where it left off in StarCraft: Brood War. The storyline chronicles the exploits of marshal-turned-rebel-leader Jim Raynor and features both familiar faces and new heroes. Players will be able to tailor the experience, choosing their own mission path and selecting technology and research upgrades to suit their playing style throughout the 29-mission campaign."

They have also said and it's been report about a 1000 times that each part will be about 28-30 missions, but clear 90% of the people posting on this story have reading, comprehension or memory deficiencies.

See also what RageOverdose and Einhanderkiller replied.

Yea... I kind of got it already. I'd moved on.

To grabbin' ankles!

Well, then. I'll go ahead and grab my ankles and y'all can go to work!

With pleasure...

Shazzam!

I don't see what the big deal is on the price. Starcraft retailed for $49.99 back when it was first released in 1998. If you adjust for inflation that's about $65 in 2010. Considering that the SC2 team is probably bigger than the original SC team and the development cycle is much longer, this is a pretty fair price to pay for the game. Or you could argue that the original was too expensive.

I think some of you have been smoking crack, because Diablo II was also 59.99 when it was released back in 2000. However Starcraft, Warcraft, and WoW ere all 49.99 at release.

However, it is no surprise to me that they are charging 59.99 considering the time that has based since the previous versions.

"will be announced in the coming weeks."

Could mean next week.....could mean 2 years from now knowing Blizzard

I have never bought a collectors edition of a game before,this may the first.

Shazzam!

Man, I'm a mess with replies today! Downvote-o-rama!

Yeah you are. Atleast we get to see all comments, unlike some other site where it needs to get approved by a gold member to be shown normally.

I'll just wait for the Battle chest to come out. :P

I'm so sad that Blizzard is owned by Activision. I love Starcraft, but I'm at odds of picking this up to support a developer I love or sticking to my guns and boycotting all things Activision.

Decisions, decisions. I might need to seek a Valium prescription either way I go.

Meh, I never got into the beta, and since I've already waited so many years for SC2, I think I can wait for the inevitable battle chest with all the expansions for cheaper.

Nice - now how about a release date?

I wonder if the MIA Ghost Nova will make an appearance in SC2.

As for the 60 and 100 buck price tag, it doesn't matter. People are going to buy it regardless.

So when it says:
"The special Collector's Edition package, which is priced at $99.99 and will only be available at retail stores, . . ."

Does this mean that the pre-order on amazon is not possible?
And assumedly impossible to order it online anywhere?

No, what it means is that you can't get a digital download of the Collector's Edition. You need to buy the actual box if you want it (which might seem obvious but I guess they want to clarify since they do mention digital distribution of the normal edition).

Looks awesometastic!

But a 2GB usb stick, really? Is it just to make sure nobody will ever bother carrying it around?

Anyway, love the pack, hugs n kisses.

Heh, I think it sort of just brings to attention the fact that SW + BW fit handily on a 2GB stick =p

After I got my free beta key from www.gamebetakeys.com/starcraft2/ I decided I would pre-order the game. I love the game and preordered it from Newegg but NO. . . I won't spring for the $99 version. As much as I loved the original Starcraft, I just don't see where this one merits that kinda cash. . . Sorry, Blizzard!

You know i dont see why everyone's so confused its simple

SC=SC2 Wings of Liberty
SC+SC Brood wars=SC2 Wings of Liberty+Heart of the Swarm (zerg expansion)

so yeah you get all the value from the first ones but each one is a game in its own right like where iam its only £34 for wings of liberty and that's basically the price of any half decent games nowadays the collectors edition well if you ask me its worth it if you haven't bought the first 1 well it gives you them on the flash drive and all the other stuff is definitely worth it anyway yah maybe the price will be lower for the other ones but its worth it there games in there own right and a very different from the first one i should know i bought the first one and am a beta tester of SC2

Previous 50 Comments

'Epic' StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition announced

StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty (box art)

Reader Comments (98)

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:29PM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 2:31PM malu05 said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 2:49PM Cougarcat said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 2:53PM Morisato13 said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 2:32PM romevi said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:35PM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:36PM romevi said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:39PM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 2:32PM Dino Sousa said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 2:43PM C1 said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 3:12PM RogueJedi86 said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 3:18PM C1 said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 3:24PM RogueJedi86 said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:36PM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 2:43PM Admiral White said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 2:48PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 2:50PM Doctor Doom said

Posted: Apr 13th 2010 9:28AM Prince David said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 3:19PM Zertoss said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 3:28PM RKN said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 3:28PM Marco le Polo said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 3:41PM RudyHuxtable said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 3:45PM RageOverdose said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 3:47PM RudyHuxtable said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:00PM einhanderkiller said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 6:53PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 6:59PM RudyHuxtable said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:03PM RudyHuxtable said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:33PM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:39PM RudyHuxtable said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:10PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:10PM Azazel28 said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:20PM Educatedfool25 said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:32PM SgtDookie said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:35PM RudyHuxtable said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:35PM RudyHuxtable said

Posted: Apr 8th 2010 4:37PM The Aquacharger said

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