Search results
All of Blizzard's games released since 2004 still receive expansions and updates, especially the long-running massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft (2004). With over 100 million lifetime accounts as of 2014 and US$9 billion in revenue as of 2017, World of Warcraft is one of the best-selling computer games and highest ...
- History
- Development
- Controversy
- Games by Battle.net Version
Battle.net Classic
When the service initially launched on December 31, 1996 (the first game using the service being Diablo releasing a few days later on January 3, 1997), Battle.net offered only a few basic services like chatting and game listings. Players could connect to the service, talk with other gamers and join multiplayer games of Diablo. Besides user account data, no game data was stored on the Battle.net servers. When a player connected to a game, they would be connecting directly to the other players...
Battle.net 2.0
Battle.net was revamped by Blizzard Entertainment in 2009 and officially unveiled on March 20, 2009, it was further elaborated on during BlizzCon2009. The new Battle.net contains three unique sections. The first allows players to connect all Battle.net accounts, World of Warcraft characters and friends list together and integrate them into a unified single Battle.net account. Players can also unlock achievements in-game which would in turn unlock avatars and decals which would be shown on the...
Desktop and Mobile Apps
In August 2013, Blizzard Entertainment released an open beta for the Battle.net Launcher.The launcher is a desktop application that allows players to purchase, install and patch their games, and provides access to the friends list and messaging. It also provides access to some account management and game services. Blizzard launches its own cross-game voice chat service in October 2016. Blizzard Voice is integrated into the Battle.net application. In February 2017, Blizzard introduced the abil...
Security
To help users protect their Battle.net accounts, Blizzard Entertainment implemented a two-factor authentication option for the service. Launched in 2008, this was initially through a separate device that could be purchased from Blizzard, encoded with the user's credentials. The device fit on a keychain and would generate pseudorandom numbers linked to the player's account, which they would enter when logging into Battle.net to affirm their identity. Later, Blizzard introduced the Battle.net m...
Growth history
By November 1997, Blizzard Entertainment claimed that Battle.net had 2.2 million games played, 1.25 million different users, and averaged 3,500 new users each day. By April 1999, it was reported that Battle.net had 2.3 million active users, and more than 50,000 concurrent users. By September 2002, their active user count had jumped to 11 million.[citation needed] By September 2004, their active user count was up to nearly 12 million, spending more than 2.1 million hours online each day, and t...
Community content
A community of developers has arisen around Battle.net. Many unofficial clients are available for Battle.net, and most of the protocolused by Battle.net-enabled games has been reverse-engineered and published by volunteers. Also, several communication tools have been made, like a "whisper" tool, so that a player could talk to their friends even if they are in a game. Custom games (using maps that were not made by Blizzard Entertainment) have helped build the community, and now are a substanti...
bnetd
A group of gamers reverse engineered the network protocol used by Battle.net and Blizzard games, and released a free (under the GNU GPL) Battle.net emulation package called bnetd. With bnetd, a gamer is not required to use the official Battle.net servers to play Blizzard games. In February 2002, lawyers retained by Blizzard Entertainment threatened legal action under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) against the developers of bnetd. Blizzard games are designed to operate online excl...
Privacy and Real ID
On July 6, 2010, Blizzard Entertainment announced that they planned to change the way their forums worked to require that users identify themselves with their real name. The reaction from the community was overwhelmingly negative with multiple game magazines calling the change "foolhardy" and an "Epic Fail". It also resulted in the largest user response ever on the Blizzard forums. This included personal details of a Blizzard employee who gave his real name "to show it wasn't a big deal".Shor...
2012 hacking
During 2012, Blizzard Entertainment suffered a number of incidents related to security. In May 2012, shortly after Diablo III's launch, they discovered a number of accounts that had been hacked using traditional means through password knowledge, with affected game characters being stripped of in-game possessions that could be sold for money. Blizzard noted at this time that those accounts affected did not use their authentication option, and made changes to try to improve security, such as th...
Battle.net Classic
1. Diablo 2. Warcraft II: Battle.net Edition 3. Diablo II (Lord of Destruction) 4. StarCraft (Brood War)
Battle.net 2.0
1. World of Warcraft (The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, Legion, Battle for Azeroth, Shadowlands and Dragonflight) 2. Warcraft III: Reforged 3. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty (Heart of the Swarm, and Legacy of the Void) 4. StarCraft: Remastered 5. Diablo IV 6. Diablo Immortal 7. Diablo III (Reaper of Souls) 8. Diablo II: Resurrected 9. Hearthstone 10. Heroes of the Storm 11. Overwatch 2 12. Blizzard Arcade Collection (The Lost Vikin...
- December 31, 1996; 26 years ago
- Blizzard Entertainment
- 2.3.1.13029
- Proprietary
People also ask
Who founded Blizzard Entertainment?
Is Blizzard a company?
When did Blizzard launch BattleNet?
How many games does Blizzard have?
Download Battle.net. All your Blizzard games in one place. Creators of the Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and Overwatch series, Blizzard Entertainment is an industry-leading developer responsible for the most epic entertainment experiences, ever.
World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. Set in the Warcraft fantasy universe, World of Warcraft takes place within the world of Azeroth, approximately four years after the events of the previous game in the series, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.
- Blizzard Entertainment
- Warcraft
Level Up Your WoW Experience. Your Free Trial is just the beginning. A World of Warcraft Subscription is the gateway to continue leveling up. Unlock an ever-growing universe spanning multiple continents, worlds and dimensions, as well as WoW Classic—the faithful recreation of WoW's original release. Free Trial. Subscription. Requires ...
Diablo IV. Action RPG. Diablo IV. Action RPG. Overwatch 2. Team-Based Action. Overwatch 2. Team-Based Action. Diablo II: Resurrected. Action RPG. Diablo II: Resurrected
