StarCraft II was pushed back to 2010 in order for the release to coincide with the launch of an ambitious new Battle.net service, talking up the significance of the new platform - which could be the firm's answer to Live.

"Our mission is to develop games that deliver an epic entertainment experience. As part of that commitment, we will always take as much time as needed to ensure that our games and services meet the expectations of our players and the standard for quality that we set for ourselves as developers," reads word from Blizzard.

"As we work to make Battle.net the premier online gaming destination, we'll also continue to polish and refine II, and we look forward to delivering a real-time gaming experience worthy of the series' legacy in the first half of 2010."

More on this soon.

By Luke Guttridge