Posted on Wednesday, September 26 2012 @ 13:02 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
Speaking at the Valencia eSports Congress, Blizzard designer Dustin Browder revealed that the game designer is considering to turn the game's multi-player mode into a free-to-play model. Browder added that this option would create some hurdles to ensure that the gameplay remains balanced, because Starcraft 2 is not very modular in its nature. One possible solution he offered was to sell entire races separately.
Browder added that there are however logistical and design concerns in transitioning the game towards a free-to-play model. As Starcraft 2 is not terribly modular in its nature, players not having access to the same selection of units could make its carefully tuned balance difficult to sustain and would possibly diminish its effectiveness as a professional tournament-friendly game.
'That's definitely an option for us at some point down the road,' said Browder. 'I don't think there's any reason why we wouldn't, except to make sure we do it properly, that we don't make any mistakes, and that we are supporting the fans the way we're supposed to.'
Starcraft 2 currently has a Starter Edition available for free, allowing people to try out a selection of multiplayer maps as the Terran race. Browder suggested that one solution to the balancing issues of going free-to-play could be to sell entire races separately.
Source: Bit Tech
