The game was overhauled technologically, using different formats, but older methods of enabling custom resolutions no longer worked and ranked multiplayer access was locked for free users. The game was re-launched with version 1.18.0 on April 18, 2017, at which time the digital release on became freeware in its entirety. This would end up being the final patch applicable to the retail version of the game. A compatibility release, patch 1.17.0, was silently released in July 2016, but was not active on the official servers. The initial official support period for the game lasted until 2009 and patch 1.16.1, during which time the balancing was refined, the replay system became more reliable compared to the launch version, and new maps were added to the ladder map pool. It offers both long singleplayer campaigns and a popular multiplayer mode.įollowing the game's initial release in March 1998 and that of the Brood War expansion pack in December 1998, StarCraft received a very large multiplayer following, particularly in South Korea, which affected the longevity of its support cycle. StarCraft is a sci-fi RTS game developed by Blizzard Entertainment.
