Blizzard president Mike Morhaime today confirmed that the StarCraft II beta would begin sometime this summer.

"This summer we will be opening up external beta testing, and while we haven't announced a release date yet, this phase will also signal the final stretch [of development on the game]," said Morhaime during today's Activision Blizzard conference call.
Signups for the beta officially opened yesterday, with users able to opt-in to the test by way of their Battle.net profiles. The test will focus on the multiplayer mode, featuring all three of the title's races and several maps.

"Our priority now is completing the core game," added Morhaime. "Once that is complete, our focus will shift [to the two expansions]."

Note: Some have reported being unable to view the battle.net sites. It may be a region issue. I have added us. in front of all URLS. Additional when you the Battle.net system profiler checks your system specs, it may take multiple send attempts for it to go through. I'm sure the servers are busy!

The StarCraft II beta-test period is coming in the months ahead! If you'd like a chance to participate, now's the time to let us know. Simply go to the "Beta Profile Settings" page in Battle.net account management to go through the new beta opt-in process and upload a snapshot of your system specs. During this process, you'll also have the opportunity to opt in to future betas for other Blizzard Entertainment games. Please note that even if you've opted in to our betas previously, you'll need to complete this new process and upload your current system specs to have a chance to be invited.

For more information, see the FAQ -- or create a Battle.net account to opt in now. If you have an unused beta code from BlizzCon 2008 or WWI 2008, visit this site to enter your code.

More info:

Questions answered by Chris Sigaty, StarCraft II lead producer

Q. StarCraft II opt-ins are now available through Battle.net. Does the opt-in process mean that the start of the StarCraft II beta is imminent?

A. We’re getting closer and closer to the start of our closed beta with each week that passes. Several months ago, we expanded our internal testing of the game to the entire company, and we’ve made significant progress since then. We’re looking forward to inviting external testers into the process soon, which is why we’re starting sign-ups now.

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