Battle.net to Feature Facebook Integration

Blizzard Entertainment kicked out a press release today announcing plans to bring Facebook integration to their popular Battle.net multiplayer service, starting with StarCraft II in July.  It’ll be interesting to see how this jives with Diablo III and World of Warcraft, too:  

BATTLE.NET® AND FACEBOOK INTEGRATION ANNOUNCED

Blizzard Entertainment’s next-generation online gaming platform will integrate with Facebook to enhance social gaming experience

IRVINE, Calif. May 5, 2010 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that its Battle.net® gaming service will integrate with Facebook®, linking the world’s premier online gaming platform with the world’s most popular social platform. The first step in the integration will enable StarCraft® II: Wings of Libertyâ„¢ players to quickly add Blizzard gamers who are friends on Facebook to their Battle.net friend lists, facilitating their social gaming experience on the service.

“We’re pleased to be working with Facebook to integrate their platform with Battle.net to enhance the social-entertainment experience for our players,” said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. “This new functionality will make it easier than ever to connect with friends on Battle.net and play StarCraft II and future Blizzard Entertainment games together.”

The new Facebook functionality in Battle.net will be tested in the near future via the ongoing StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty beta test and will be available to all StarCraft II players when the game ships later this year. Information about other Facebook-related features on Battle.net will be announced at a later date.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes eleven #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.