Blizzard Remasters Warcraft 1 & 2 for 30th Anniversary Celebration
After initially stating that Warcraft 1 & 2 were not fun enough to remaster, Blizzard has made a surprising announcement – both games have been remastered and are available today as part of Warcraft’s 30th anniversary celebrations.
The original Warcraft series played a significant role in establishing Blizzard as a major player in the gaming industry. Warcraft 1, launched in 1994, was followed by Warcraft 2 the next year to meet the demands of its growing fanbase. The newly remastered versions promise various enhancements to the classic real-time strategy gameplay, including new hand-drawn visuals that can be toggled on and off in real-time while maintaining the original art style.
Warcraft 1 Remastered now features “modern controls” such as right-click move, bounding box select, and faster game speed. Both Warcraft 1 and 2 Remastered come with UI and UX improvements including tool tips, health bars, mission select screens, and increased unit select options. Furthermore, Warcraft 2 Remastered retains the original multiplayer functionality, and all legacy custom maps are compatible with the new version.
Players can access Warcraft 1 Remastered and Warcraft 2 Remastered on PC via Battle.net for $9.99 and $14.99 respectively. There’s also a Battle Chest bundle priced at $39.99, which includes the new remasters along with Warcraft 3: Reforged, despite its troubled launch.
Despite the initial criticism of Warcraft 3: Reforged, Blizzard has been continuously improving the game, with the latest 2.0 update releasing today. This update includes overhauled environments, improved lighting, revamped UI, enhanced HD versions of classic Warcraft assets, and various quality of life enhancements such as in-game hockey customization and revamped ladder features.