SC 1 beta lasted about 5 months, before going gold. I didn't get in that beta either. >_<
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SC 1 beta lasted about 5 months, before going gold. I didn't get in that beta either. >_<
SC1 beta isn't a good gauge since they didn't have the resources they do now.
Nothing's a good gauge, beyond what Blizzard have said themselves: a mid-2010 release.
This isn't SC1, or WoW, or WCIII - this is the sequel to the single greatest RTS of all time. Now that might imply a longer beta, but the game has been development for a crazy amount of time already. It all depends on how the testing and balancing progresses.
agreeing with previous poster.
also consider the tools they have to work with and to even observe balance; bnet2 + awesome replay functionality should help alot.
For the time being I don't think anything trumps WoW from a business perspective. Everytime Blizzard releases an expansion millions of current players buy a piece of software at 39.99 and pledge at least 12.99 per month for the foreseeable future. Hundreds of thousands of inactive players return and begin funneling that same 12.99 to blizzard for at least a few months.
As exciting and popular as Starcraft is it's not going to measure up to WoW right now in terms of profits generated. It's a one shot sale and then an expensive server to upkeep and allow us to play on for free. If someone gave Blizzard the ultimatum to release one or the other this year we'd be SOL.
This is all a moot point anyway, I think it'll all go without a hitch.