Blizzard has revealed a revolutionary pricing model for its upcoming RTS StarCraft II. Some gamers will love it, and some won’t. It really depends what you are hoping to get out of StarCraft II.
Basically, in order to make the game more accessible to gamers in emerging markets, they will be selling the it for a flat rate of $25-$30 (+-R210).
That is half the recommended retail price that the standard US version will sell for.
Of course, there’s a catch, although, it won’t actually be a catch for many gamers.
With the reduced retail price, gamers will get the full single player campaign, and 6 months of online multiplayer. If you wan’t to keep playing past 6 months, you will have to pay a monthly subscription fee.
This will be music to the ears of the vast majority of gamers who will probably play the single player campaign, and then the multiplayer for a few months before moving on. However, it may not suit competitive gamers that plan to play the game for years to come.
For them – and this is the best part – there is still the option to buy the full retail version directly from Blizzard for $59.99 (R450). This will grant them unlimited access to the game’s multiplayer, without the burden of subscription fees.
I think that this is a really great innovation. It caters for both the casual, as well as the competitive StarCraft crowds, and allows you choose an investment that will best suit your preference.
Now, before we get too excited, this model has not been confirmed for South Africa. Blizzard mentioned that emerging markets such as Mexico, Argentina and Chile will be getting the half price edition. South Africa is also constituted as an “emerging market,” and so, in theory, we should be allocated the same pricing model.
Local Blizzard partner, Megarom, is investigating the matter, and we should know in the next few days what to expect.
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