StarCraft 2 will NOT have LAN support

[quarkx]

No more office LAN parties
Full Story here
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-318442.html

[Ilwrath]

Well, Blizzard really wants to push Battle.net.  Since World of Warcraft, they've learned exactly how profitable that approach can be.  

I'm not sure that'll work as well for StarCraft, but I guess it will be seen...  In the meantime, we suffer without LAN support or vote with our wallets and not buy it at all.  :/

[Matt_H]

Isn't Battle.net free for everything except World of WarCraft? Are they changing that model with StarCraft 2?

I don't really see how lack of LAN support is a major problem. Besides, knowing Blizzard, they'll probably add it in a patch due to user demand.

[quarkx]

Isn't Battle.net free for everything except World of WarCraft? Are they changing that model with StarCraft 2?

I don't really see how lack of LAN support is a major problem. Besides, knowing Blizzard, they'll probably add it in a patch due to user demand.

I know alot of offices here in Canada had (about 10 years ago) company lan parties at lunch and after work for Starcraft and/or Warcraft. Now, after WOW was released, who knows anymore what (if any) pecentage of those still do. But that was back in the day when most companies had a real IT department and not outsourced to timbuktu.

[quarkx]

I just hope Battle.net remains free, It's not like Blizzard needs MORE monthly fees.

[Trev]

I just hope Battle.net remains free, It's not like Blizzard needs MORE monthly fees.

Blizzard's investors, anyway. Let's hope they have a sweet profit sharing deal with their employees. They should all be racing Ferraris at lunch. Think Id Software during the mid-90's.

[Matt_H]

I know alot of offices here in Canada had (about 10 years ago) company lan parties at lunch and after work for Starcraft and/or Warcraft. Now, after WOW was released, who knows anymore what (if any) pecentage of those still do. But that was back in the day when most companies had a real IT department and not outsourced to timbuktu.

Still, there's nothing stopping those same people from playing a hypothetical game at the office over Battle.net rather than the LAN, right? If they're not playing any more, I suspect it's more due to a normal change in behavior over time rather than a technical impediment (unless external net access is severely curtailed).