You must now have an internet connection to install SC2.

[n00bonicPlague]

Source: StarCraft II Developers Talk Single Player | IncGamers

A level of "DRM" will also be used by limit installation. Dustin explained "you need to connect once to install the game." While singleplayer will be available offline, installation must have an internet connection in order to proceed. You are also required to have or signup for a Battle.net account in order to install the game. All achievements and friends lists etc will be available as soon as you logon, but the actual single player game is available anyway.

"You can [play single player offline], but we don't encourage it." Browder said. "We totally allow it if you want to do it," but the point is "you don't get access a lot of the stuff."

For those in the dark about what "DRM" means:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management

[Wankey]

Fine with me. Who here doesn't have internet connection? Seriously. Unless you're on the airplane... and somehow you have Starcraft with you... and somehow it isn't already installed...

Heck, there is even in flight Wifi now...

[spychi]

Doesn't matter, as long as it will not use Games for Windows live lol, which would be very unlikely.

I hope that Battle.net 2.0 will not have any problems with games like steam of GfWL

[n00bonicPlague]

Yeah, I think it'll be fine as well. You need to connect to get patches anyway, so w/e.

[FoxSpirit]

Yeah, okay with me. And just as a sidenote... friends list!

I REALLY came to appreciate that from playing BlazBlue, having 20 or so people with good connections and about equal skill to simply message and play a few games with much more fun that looking for random strangers where you have no clue.

edit: Ahem, okay, so there kinda is a friends function in WC3 but I hink you can only use it for arranged teams. I hope the new one will be like Steam

[Blazur]

Pretty standard with software nowadays, so this doesn't bother me in the least.

[n00bonicPlague]

And you know with this they could allow LAN to come back.

I mean, if you have to install a legit copy of SC2 in the first place......

[Norfindel]

I don't see the need to do that, considering that you don't have multiplayer without a Battle.net account.

Someone will crack the activation, so people will be able to play pirated single player anyways, so doesn't looks like it's going to accomplish anything.

If this allows the game to have LAN, like noobonicplague says, by all means, do it. But in case someone cracks the installation check, they will get a MP-enabled pirated copy. If the Battle.net experience is as good as Blizzard is saying, most people will want to buy the game, however.

[Hav0x]

All it means is that you'll have to link your game to a battle.net account on the first install.

[LordofAscension]

Source: StarCraft II Developers Talk Single Player | IncGamers


For those in the dark about what "DRM" means:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management

This is no different from Steam. I see no problems with this.

~LoA