Battle.net client in beta testing

http://media.mmo-champion.com/images/news/2013/may/installer.jpg

MMO Champion has a rundown of the currently available features of a Steam-alike client that Blizzard is currently testing. It does everything you'd expect an app like this to do.

Keep all your Blizzard games in one place, and automatically update them when an update is available. (This also replaces the game-specific launchers)

Chat with your Battle.net friends outside of gameplay

See all the news about your Blizzard games.

A store, of course, to buy new games (though this isn't implemented in the current build).

Other social features like forums and player profiles, also yet to be implemented.

I've been wanting this for a long time, but the screenshots don't answer two questions that I'm really curious about:

1. Will this also replace the login? If I have already signed into Battle.net through the client, do I then have to sign into it again when I launch Diablo 3 and again when I decide to play Starcraft 2?

2. Will this support the old Battle.net games, the original Starcraft, Warcraft 3, Diablo 2?

The full details are here:
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/3267-Battle-net-Desktop-Client

scrypt Supporter wrote on 06/04/2013 at 04:30pm

If they could implement a voice chat feature, that would solve all of the problems. Sweet info. Thanks, Travis!

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/04/2013 at 07:27pm

Yes, that was number three. I forgot to add that when posting. Voice chat and an overlay are a must!

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/04/2013 at 11:55pm

So a new service to buy games from? I imagine this will be used to buy other non Blizzard games as well?

Not sure I need another game service.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/05/2013 at 12:05am

I don't think it will, from what I've read. It seems to just be distribution for Bnet stuff, which is great since currently they don't exist on any game service and you have to wait for updates to download, etc.

I agree though, if they're using it for other things beyond Blizzard games, I'll probably pass on those, but it will be great to have Blizzard's games all under one roof at least.

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/05/2013 at 12:06am

The games update themselves already and you can get them all from the website. I am not sure that was a problem for me, but I can see why they would do it.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/05/2013 at 12:09am

They update themselves when you launch the launcher. And then you wait.

This way, you leave it up and it downloads when it's ready, and you never have to wait.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/05/2013 at 12:12am

Plus, you get to see what your friends are playing before you launch the game, so now you can say "hey Jon is playing SC2" and message him to see if he wants to play, rather than launching the game, signing in, seeing nobody online.

And *if* they make it so you only have to sign into the client and not each individual game, that will make me very happy.

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/05/2013 at 12:14am

Yeah, that could be good. Unifying sign in would be nice and the friends thing you mention. I wonder how impossible it will be to use the Steam Overlay now that each game might not support login?

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/05/2013 at 12:17am

Yeah, I hope they have their own overlay. I doubt you'd be able to use Steam's if you're launching anything from the BNet client.

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