BlizzCon 2010: Blizzard Adding L4D, DotA to StarCraft 2

[John Funk]

BlizzCon 2010: Blizzard Adding L4D, DotA to StarCraft 2

Blizzard will be adding to the StarCraft II experience with four free games built in the map editor - including its very own version of DotA.

StarCraft II's custom map makers aren't the only ones playing around with the game's powerful map editor. Blizzard employees have been working on a quartet of custom games that the developer plans to release to all StarCraft II owners in the coming months.

The four games are obviously taking cues from other games in a tongue-in-cheek style: Starjeweled is almost certainly a Bejeweled clone, and Left 2 Die is a nod towards Valve's popular Left 4 Dead series.

Interestingly enough, Blizzard seems to be intentionally going head-to-head with Valve with Blizzard DotA - in direct competition to Valve's recently-unveiled [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104353-Valve-Confirms-DotA-2-for-2011] DotA 2.

The fourth game, Aiur Chef doesn't reference any games per se, but we can only hope that there will be an over-the-top Chairman [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXqY8EZ21-g] introducing the secret ingredient: Zergling. According to the BlizzCon program, Aiur Chef "takes you to a remote area of the planet Aiur, where aspiring zealot chefs skilled in the arts of cooking and killing compete for the title of Executor Chef."

All four of these games will be released to the StarCraft 2 community for free.

(Image courtesy Malgayne [http://twitter.com/#!/Malgayne])

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[Xan Krieger]

I'm thinking those people who got banned for cheating must be fuming right now. I hope these are singleplayer games, can't wait to try them.

 

[DeadAccountMoveAlong]

I are helpful! Huzzah!

Valve DotA, Blizzard DotA, several original creators making DotA... DotA DotA. Too much DotA.

I'm thinking those people who got banned for cheating must be fuming right now. I hope these are singleplayer games, can't wait to try them.

I imagine DotA and Left 2 Die aren't (you might be able to play L2D solo, but DotA is a PvP game). I'm not sure about Auir Chef, but I figure Starjeweled is.

 

[Nouw]

Do want! DO WANT! That looks pretty damn awesome.

 

[SirAxel]

Blizzard DotA I don't think what to think of this for Blizzard since a Blizz former employyer is working on League Of Legends (DotA clone if you want).Give me more info about this please. : )

 

[LightOfDarkness]

I'm fairly certain that Left 2 Die is going to be a shooter of some kind, Aiur Chef is going to be like those silly Facebook games, Starjeweled is going to be Bejeweled with a Starcraft palette swap and Blizzard DoTA is going to be... well, DoTA.

Hopefully VALVe adds in some kind of Starcraft 2 awesomeness in some of their games as well. That would make me burst into hearts, sugar and kindness.

 

[Canid117]

Damn the two best technical designers in the industry going head to head? This will be interesting.

 

[shirin238]

Ok, screw my exams, time to start up SC2 again after a long while.
Although, I am having trouble understanding the SC2 DotA version: SC2 does not have heroes. Not in the way Warcraft 3 has anyway. Sure there are unique units (Raynor, convict (forgot his name) and others I suppose) but they do not have unique abilities like other types of heroes.

 

[HT_Black]

Ok, screw my exams, time to start up SC2 again after a long while.
Although, I am having trouble understanding the SC2 DotA version: SC2 does not have heroes. Not in the way Warcraft 3 has anyway. Sure there are unique units (Raynor, convict (forgot his name) and others I suppose) but they do not have unique abilities like other types of heroes.

You remember that kickass sniper shot Raynor could do in the last level, or those awesome rocket launcher moves he had in the secret mission? I think those count.

 

[shirin238]

Ok, screw my exams, time to start up SC2 again after a long while.
Although, I am having trouble understanding the SC2 DotA version: SC2 does not have heroes. Not in the way Warcraft 3 has anyway. Sure there are unique units (Raynor, convict (forgot his name) and others I suppose) but they do not have unique abilities like other types of heroes.

You remember that kickass sniper shot Raynor could do in the last level, or those awesome rocket launcher moves he had in the secret mission? I think those count.

Owh righ :] good point
sorry, it has been a while since I played (my updater is currently wrestling with version 1.0.3 apparently)

 

[ionveau]

And finally blizzard understands people dont enjoy the RTS part of the game but they enjoy the custom map part there may still be hope....NVM league of legends is killing the hope

 

[Tom Phoenix]

Hahahahah, I knew Blizzard would somehow respond to Valve's development of DotA 2. Left 2 Die, huh?

 

[samsonguy920]

People doing stuff for fun in the office and then the company giving the work away for free? Blizzard is like the Good Side of the Universe while Activision is the Dark Side.

 

[Motiv_]

Huh. I wonder if Valve's sanctioned this, I'm sure they have. Left 2 Die is going to be interesting, probably a third person shooter with Zerglings holding the spot of common zombies, Ultralisks being tanks, so forth and so on.

 

[Dendio]

Doesnt blizzard own the rights to dota in some form?

It was created through their own warcraft 3 video game after all

 

[theSovietConnection]

I are helpful! Huzzah!

Valve DotA, Blizzard DotA, several original creators making DotA... DotA DotA. Too much DotA.

I'm thinking those people who got banned for cheating must be fuming right now. I hope these are singleplayer games, can't wait to try them.

I imagine DotA and Left 2 Die aren't (you might be able to play L2D solo, but DotA is a PvP game). I'm not sure about Auir Chef, but I figure Starjeweled is.

L2D I hope is like the mission on the refugee planet, I've mentioned to a few people that would make a great multiplayer mode.

 

[Pebsy]

Ok, screw my exams, time to start up SC2 again after a long while.
Although, I am having trouble understanding the SC2 DotA version: SC2 does not have heroes. Not in the way Warcraft 3 has anyway. Sure there are unique units (Raynor, convict (forgot his name) and others I suppose) but they do not have unique abilities like other types of heroes.

You remember that kickass sniper shot Raynor could do in the last level, or those awesome rocket launcher moves he had in the secret mission? I think those count.

Owh righ :] good point
sorry, it has been a while since I played (my updater is currently wrestling with version 1.0.3 apparently)

also if you ever played Storm of the Imperial Sanctum (the current popular DOTA clone in sc2) you'll notice that the heroes have been modified in immense ways so that it really doesnt matter that the base model isnt much of a hero, people will make it so. Can't wait to see blizz's version though, kinda cool that blizz is creating maps to compete with diff game genres.. i mean cmon... fps and rpg in an rts game... what more could you ask for lol?

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I may actually have to buy Starcraft 2 now...

I have money... and I was always thinking of buying it but this is convincing me even more.

 

[archvile93]

Isn't there a flash game that's also called Left 2 Die? I also can't be the only one who thinks it's retarded to smoke in an enclosed helmet.