Warcraft returns: Blizzard updates all three classics with high-res remasters, upgraded Battle.net features

Daniel Sims

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Highly anticipated: Blizzard's first attempt to remaster a classic Warcraft game four years ago failed spectacularly. Now, for the franchise's 30th anniversary, the company is aiming for redemption by updating and repackaging the entire trilogy with high-resolution graphics, new user interface features, and more.

Newly updated editions of Blizzard's first two Warcraft titles are now available on Battle.net, along with a substantial update to the company's critically panned remake of Warcraft III.

Warcraft I: Remastered and Warcraft II: Remastered feature new sprites and backgrounds that aim to preserve the art direction of the original versions but in higher resolution, with an option to toggle between the old and new visuals. Enhanced menu features include health bars, hotkey indicators, expanded unit selection, and more.

Blizzard released Warcraft III: Reforged in 2020, but numerous bugs and missing features dragged its Metacritic rating to historic lows. Adding insult to injury, the flawed new version replaced the original in users' Battle.net accounts, rendering it unplayable. Blizzard staffers later blamed the poor release to budget cuts and neglect from parent company Activision.

The new patch upgrades the game to version 2.0, tweaking the visuals and adding user interface functions. The 2020 release replaced Warcraft III's character models and environments with new assets, but the update allows players to revert to more retro-faithful graphics or mix and match the two styles.

A new $39.99 Battle Chest, designed to evoke Blizzard's famously bulky retail packages, bundles together the three revised editions alongside the original versions of Warcraft and Warcraft II. Warcraft I: Remastered is available individually for $9.99, Warcraft II: Remastered for $14.99, and Warcraft III: Reforged for $29.99. Reforged also supports macOS.

Classicists wishing to save money can still buy the original Warcraft for $5.99 and Warcraft II for $9.99 on Battle.net or GOG.com.

Those opting for DRM-free copies on GOG may notice a sticker for the GOG Preservation Program, which the site introduced on the same day Blizzard released the new Battle Chest to celebrate both GOG's and Warcraft's anniversaries. The new program rebrands the store's pledge to continue patching retro games to function smoothly on modern operating systems. The sticker and category tag aim to help shoppers identify the 100 compatible titles, including classics like Warcraft, Monkey Island, Myst, Resident Evil, Fallout, and more.

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A lack of good video games can certainly cause financial issues for a game developer. When Blizzard made good games they did well. When they made worse games, they somehow still did well, for a time. Then ultimately people discovered better options. Welcome to the free market. Bobby got it all in the divorce but you can keep the kids.
 
I might buy this if the reviews are good.

If not, I still have the original discs and an optical drive somewhere in my closet.
 
Good. WC1 is virtually unplayable, mostly due to the (lack of) controls, hopefully they fixed that in this one.

Now all we need is a D1 remake.
 
Old man moment: Remember when you bought a game and it was yours, and neither the developer nor the publisher had any control over what you did with it, what patch version you used, how you played multiplayer, etc.?

There are a lot of great things about the always online era, but there are inevitable drawbacks like this, too.
 
Old man moment: Remember when you bought a game and it was yours, and neither the developer nor the publisher had any control over what you did with it, what patch version you used, how you played multiplayer, etc.?

There are a lot of great things about the always online era, but there are inevitable drawbacks like this, too.
You have poor memory, the games we used to "own forever" just stopped working upon a release of new gaming console or new OS (if on PC) so games ownership has been a scam always...
 
You have poor memory, the games we used to "own forever" just stopped working upon a release of new gaming console or new OS (if on PC) so games ownership has been a scam always...
My memory is just fine. You're missing the point. Devs still don't tell me what to do with my 20+ year old games (which can be emulated legally via ROMs or DOSbox - yes I still own the originals). Meanwhile anything released in the last 5-10 years is probably "take it or leave it, including any changes we decide to make at any time" from day 1.
 
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