Fans are never shy of criticizing Blizzard teams. And while it's tough to imagine the intense scrutiny doesn't affect developer sanity to some degree, StarCraft II lead designer Dustin Browder can say for a fact his game is better for it.

I asked Browder how that feedback factors into Blizzard development during an interview at the company's headquarters last week. Other topics included Battle.net, singleplayer content, new "challenge" missions that act as tutorial levels for casual players, and the decision to keep StarCraft II looking like StarCraft.

Dustin Browder: Everyone always kind of knew that we wanted to make this game feel like you were coming home. Still at its root a really bad-ass, competitive RTS. Not like, "We're bored of RTS, let's redo it completely! Let's get rid of base-building and redo this. We'll have a first-person mode!"

I've been at studios that wanted to do that. First-person mode was going to go into every Command & Conquer since 1999. It was going to be like, "First-person mode!" [laughs] It was like, oh my god you guys, this is a terrible idea. So we really wanted to make it like--we still think RTS games are cool. If you're bored, then that's cool, go buy another game and we're fine with that. But we think RTS games are cool, we think you'll have a lot of fun if we make a really good one--let's just make a good one. Read more..

Following through on word that StarCraft II won't support LAN play due to "planned technology to be incorporated into Battle.net," developer Blizzard has provided Joystiq with a further explanation of the controversial decision and the planned technology:

We don't currently plan to support LAN play with StarCraft II, as we are building Battle.net to be the ideal destination for multiplayer gaming with StarCraft II and future Blizzard Entertainment games. While this was a difficult decision for us, we felt that moving away from LAN play and... Read more

Blizzard senior VP Rob Pardo has confirmed that the company's upcoming RTS sequel StarCraft II will not feature LAN multiplayer support.

The feature has been cut due to the "planned technology to be incorporated into Battle.net," according to a comment issued to IncGamers.

Blizzard has yet to finalize the feature set for the new Battle.net. A multiplayer StarCraft II beta test is scheduled to begin later this summer.

Continuing today's StarCraft II blowout, we now have some new footage of the anticipated sequel. All three factions are featured across the 7 minute video.

There's still no date on the forthcoming multiplayer beta, though Blizzard has said that the first StarCraft II release, Terrans: Wings of Liberty, is on track for release later this year.

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StarCraft II lead designer Dustin Browder detailed a previously unrevealed component of the RTS title's story mode during an interview with Shacknews.

Within the NPC-filled hubs of the StarCraft II campaign, players will be able to hire mercenaries to use during subsequent missions.

"They're one use per mission, but they regenerate after every mission," said Browder of the troops.

Browder then went on to detail additional objectives players will be able to complete in the course of a singleplayer battle, including optional quests to gain additional technology.

Click through for Browder's comments on mercenaries, research objectives, Wing Commander influences and other components of the exciting story mode: ... Read more

Last Monday, I visited Blizzard HQ expecting to get a look at the new Battle.net in advance of the multiplayer beta. Unfortunately, the team is still finalizing many Battle.net features, and I left without an estimate on when the anticipated multiplayer test would begin.

"We're still working on [Battle.net], and it's kind of up in the air," StarCraft II lead designer Dustin Browder told me. "I kind of wish it wasn't, but it kind of is."

Browder gave the typical "when it's ready" response when asked of a beta timeframe. The test is scheduled to begin sometime this summer.

However, I did get a chance to talk at length with the affable Browder, thoroughly covering the reasons for the sequel's lengthy development period. In the process, the designer shared some exciting details on the singleplayer portion of the game. What follows is a late-night preview of the full interview, to be published later today:... Read more

Though it apparently hasn't been officially released, the third of Blizzard's StarCraft II "Battle Report" vignettes has begun making its way around the internet, offering more than 17 minutes of Zerg vs. Protoss gameplay footage in the new Scrapyard map.

StarCraft II - Terrans: Wings of Liberty, the first entry in the planned StarCraft II trilogy, is due by the end of 2009, with a multiplayer beta for the sci-fi PC RTS kicking off soon.

For the other half of the footage, look no further than below... Read more

StarCraft 2 is currently scheduled for a release at the end of this year, Blizzard president Mike Morhaime announced today in an Activision Blizzard pre-E3 conference call.

"We're targeting an end of year release--this year--for StarCraft 2," said Morhaime. "But as always, we won't release it until it meets our standards and the expectations of our players."

The first installment of the PC sci-fi strategy trilogy will be Terrans: Wings of Liberty, featuring a Terran singleplayer campaign and full multiplayer for all races. Both multiplayer and singleplayer will be expanded by Zerg: Heart of the Swarm and Protoss: Legacy of the Void, to come later and potentially years apart.

A closed beta of StarCraft 2--currently accepting signups--is set to begin this summer.

Blizzard has released a short video showing off a few of StarCraft 2's new and improved death animations, including 'splodings, squishings and old-fashioned scorchings.

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Blizzard has yet to announce a release date, though signups are currently open for the beta beginning this summer, which will "signal the final stretch [of development]."

Blizzard president Mike Morhaime today confirmed that the StarCraft II beta would begin sometime this summer.

"This summer we will be opening up external beta testing, and while we haven't announced a release date yet, this phase will also signal the final stretch [of development on the game]," said Morhaime during today's Activision Blizzard conference call.

Signups for the beta officially opened yesterday, with users able to opt-in to the test by way of their Battle.net profiles. The test will focus on the multiplayer mode, featuring all three of the title's races and several maps.

"Our priority now is completing the core game," added Morhaime. "Once that is complete, our focus will shift [to the two expansions]."

Update: Blizzard tells IncGamers that the test will be multiplayer-only, and may only include only a portion of maps from the title.

Additionally, WWI 2008 beta keys and BlizzCon 2008 beta keys will indeed grant entry to the beta test.

Original story: Blizzard has officially opened up the StarCraft II beta opt-in, according to a new post on the World of Warcraft site.

"The StarCraft II beta-test period is coming in the months ahead! If you'd like a chance to participate, now's the time to let us know," reads... Read more

Ready for another glimpse of the future? Blizzard has released the second StarCraft II Battle Report, delivering 22 minutes of multiplayer footage to an unsuspecting public.

The lengthy and strategy-filled video can be watched over at StarCraft2.com.

We still have no idea as to when the anticipated PC strategy sequel will arrive. In February, the game was "in the final stretch" and with a beta in the months ahead.

Continuing its April Fools' Day celebrations, Blizzard has unveiled the mightiest weapon in the StarCraft II Terran army: the Terra-tron.

When all else is lost and enemy forces close in all around, the Terrans can assemble their entire base into one giant walking titanic robot in a last-ditch effort to hold the line.

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Dr. Ron Volt, Terra-tron's curiously named creator, explained at a recent conference:

With the use of magnetic flux generators and through some simple modifications to our existing building schematics, we've found we can utilize structures that already exist in our bases to assemble... Read more

Blizzard has released another set of screenshots from the anticipated StarCraft II, providing the gaming public with a look at an early version of the replay user interface.

"Replay UI is still very much work in progress," Blizzard's Kevin "Karune" Yui warned on the studio's forum. "These features are designed both to help players improve in StarCraft II as well as serve as a platform of statistics for eSports commentary."

The studio has yet to provide a release date for the PC strategy game, though the title is said to be "in the final stretch" and should see a beta test in the coming months.

As the agonizing wait for StarCraft II continues, developer Blizzard has issued a few new screenshots of the PC RTS, revealing a more realistic look for the game's Zerg units.

"The StarCraft art team have been making massive updates to the Zerg faction, adding various new animations and improving even further on the textures of Zerg units and buildings," community manager Kevin "Karune" Yui wrote on the developer's forums.

Still no word yet as to when the anticipated sequel will arrive, though a multplayer beta is said to be coming in months. The studio has also said that it will release a major "frontline" title this year, but did not specify which of its upcoming games that may be.

Blizzard is "in the final stretch" of the work on its first StarCraft II release, according to lead developer Dustin Browder. Browder, known to the community as "Cavez," dropped the tidbit while answering frequently asked questions over on BlizzBlues.

"When we know a date (for anything) for certain, we'll let you know," he wrote. "We don't want to lie about the Beta, and we don't even want to lie about the next Battle Report... Let's be realistic. Our target dates are not something we hit more than half the time."

Browder assured fans that "unless something crazy happens, the [multiplayer] Beta is going to happen this year." Last week, Blizzard COO Paul Sam noted the beta would hit in the "months ahead," packing an early version of the new Battle.net architecture.

At the time, Sams added that a "frontline" Blizzard game should arrive this year, but did not provide any details as to the game's identity. Last year, the studio revealed it was splitting the PC RTS sequel into a trilogy of games that could be years apart.

In anticipation of Valentine's Day tomorrow , both Blizzard and Electronic Arts have issued some media meant to celebrate the romantic feast of martyred saints. Blizzard chimed in with three wallpapers, one for each of StarCraft II's playable races, while Electronic Arts provided some smooch-tacular screenshots from The Sims 3.

The Sims 3 ships in PC form on June 2. Blizzard hasn't said when the first of its three PC StarCraft II entries will arrive, but promised that the multiplayer beta will launch in the "months ahead," followed by the release of a "frontline" Blizzard game this year.

The beta test for Blizzard's anticipated RTS sequel StarCraft II will be launched sometime in the "months ahead," according to comments made by Blizzard COO Paul Sams during an Activision earnings call.

Sams added that an early version of the new Battle.net architecture will be included in the beta test. Those that attended BlizzCon 2008 received a voucher for beta access.

Unfortunately, Sams did not disclose when Blizzard is planning to release the first of its three upcoming StarCraft II titles, only confirming that a major "frontline" Blizzard title will be released in 2009.

Blizzard has dropped another batch of StarCraft II screenshots, this time showing off the crops and pines of a rather rural planet--and one massive Zerg rush. I think this is the set that did it. I'm over the edge. After playing Dawn of War II--and thus getting another taste of a solid sci-fi RTS--I can't wait to get my hands on this one again.

StarCraft II is coming to the PC. Maybe this year, maybe next.

Coinciding with Dark Templar Indecision 2009, Blizzard has released a new piece of art depicting the two model candidates duking it out. Who will win? The power is in your hands.

On a less contentious note, Blizzard also released a few new StarCraft II screenshots today.

Or perhaps that is contentious, considering today is "Dawn of War II beta OMG" day.