Blizzard is looking to borrow some of the success of Valve’s DotA 2 Battle Pass system for its own championship prize fund for StarCraft II. The new War Chest system will offer buyers skins and unlocks for the game’s trio of races, with a portion of all funds generated going toward the BlizzCon 2017 tournament and associated production.
From the very first introduction of Valve’s Compendium and Battle Pass, it has been a huge success. Debuting in 2013 to help support the prize pool for The International, it’s helped raise the DotA 2 world championship’s prize money to new heights every year, breaking all sorts of records along the way. It has sent tens of millions of dollars Valve’s way, too.
Now Blizzard is looking to leverage something similar with its new War Chest idea. It will offer up chests for each of the three races in StarCraft II, priced at $10, or $25 for all three. Buying one, or all of them will give immediate aesthetic extras like skins, decals, sprays, and emotes to use in game, with more able to be unlocked through play.
Different unlocks will be released during successive phases leading up to the BlizzCon event, which starts on November 3. Phase II unlocks will arrive on August 16, with a third set made available on September 13. Players can also expect double experience during October when the purchase deadline closes on the 4th.
The War Chests will grant additional unlocks in other Blizzard titles too, like extra equipment in Diablo, a Heroes of the Storm loot chest and a Hearthstone card pack.
Twenty-five percent of all purchases goes into the BlizzCon 2017 StarCraft II prize pool, which currently sits at $500,000. Up to $200,000 from War Chest sales will be added to that, with any additional money earned going toward production costs and support for the 2017/2018 season.
For anyone with more time than money, every skin made available as part of the War Chest unlock system will go up for sale individually at a later date, though it won’t be as cost effective as it is through the War Chest unlocks.
This whole event kicks off on Wednesday, so get your armies ready.
