Blizzard Opens Digital Download Store, Beta Lottery; Old CD Keys Redeemable for Downloads

Warcraft and StarCraft developer Blizzard has begun offering direct downloads of select PC titles via a new portion of its online store.

At present, the store's digital download section only contains three listings: the StarCraft Anthology, Warcraft III, and the WarCraft III Frozen Throne expansion. They mark the first digitally distributed releases of any Blizzard game, apart from World of Warcraft.

Furthermore, owners of certain Blizzard efforts can now register their CD keys on the site to add the titles to their Blizzard Account and download them for free at any time, though Diablo II-related downloads are not yet ready.

A new beta lottery program is also available, allowing registered users to be automatically entered into a drawing for beta access. However, no public betas are known to be underway.

At present, the company is known to be working on StarCraft II as well as a title only referred to as "an unannounced Next-Gen MMO," which some speculate to be a new Diablo game.

A list of PC titles that can be registered and downloaded from the Blizzard Store follows, as well as a description of the beta lottery.

• Diablo II*

• Diablo II: Lord of Destruction*

• Diablo II Battlechest*

• StarCraft

• StarCraft Battlechest

• StarCraft Anthology

  
  

• Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos

• Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Expansion Pack

  *digital download coming soon

Blizzard Beta Lottery

Enter the Blizzard Beta Lottery to put your Blizzard Account in the running to participate in the beta tests for future Blizzard games! By registering, your account will have a chance to be added to the list of invites for each Blizzard public beta test as it begins.