Mobile version of Blizzard’s Battle.net app lets friends get friendlier

Acclaimed game developer Blizzard previously released game-specific mobile apps for titles like World of Warcraft and Hearthstone, but strangely never released a mobile version of its Battle.net desktop program. That changes now, as you’ll finally be able to talk to your friends and set up games while on the go.

Available now on both iOS and Android, the official Battle.net mobile app is a more convenient way to interact with people on your account’s friend list, as well as make new friends before you head back into your game. The app features mobile chat, similar to the Destiny 2 app, and a notification system lets you know when your friends are trying to get your attention. You can also see which friends are currently online playing a Blizzard game, so you’ll know whether or not it’s worth jumping on to try your hand at the latest content in Diablo III or World of Warcraft: Legion.

If you’re looking to expand your friend list, the app includes “mobile friending,” which lets you not only add and accept friend requests by username, but also by QR code if you happen to meet someone in the real world who also plays Blizzard games. Suggested friends are also available based on your current friends, similar to how Facebook and Twitter suggest new friends and followers.

There isn’t much else to the Battle.net app, as Blizzard’s game-specific apps cover most other ground, but it does feel a little bare-bones at the moment. While there are options to list yourself as “away” if you don’t want to be bothered, there isn’t a way to let others know what game you’d like to play, outside of the one you’re currently playing. There is also no scheduling system to remind players of when they’re supposed to get online.

Blizzard briefly planned to change the name of its Battle.net service to just “Blizzard” in order to better reflect its library of games, but this was scrapped once sister company Activision decided to release the PC version of Destiny 2 through the app. Now, its official title is “Blizzard Battle.net,” though it remains functionally identical to previous versions.