StarCraft II drops LAN support to beat pirates
Blizzard, creators of World of Warcraft, Diablo and StarCraft, dropped a bit of a bombshell on the RTS community when it announced that there would be no LAN (Local Area Network) support for its upcoming sequel. Instead players will have to use Blizzard’s Battle.net online service, a move which the developer says was a “difficult decision” but a necessary “safeguard against piracy.”
Most players’ first experience with StarCraft and the earlier Warcraft strategy titles was over a direct LAN connection between computers – either on home networks, in offices or at organised LAN parties. To drop it as a networking option completely is a pretty surprising and sure to alienate those who maybe don’t have an internet connection up to the task of fast-paced online multiplayer.
