Blizzard and Activision’s game launcher, Battle.net, has not won “Sleek and Nice to Navigate” awards over the years. Blizzard has begun rolling out an update that could change this as it will spruce up the aging client into a tidier Battle.net 2.0.
Announced on Blizzard’s site, Battle.net 2.0 isn’t a world away from its predecessor, but I’m definitely a fan of the way games are listed at the top of a row as opposed to a long list on the left. Plus, the new library view looks great, with the ability to filter games. I am genuinely thrilled for these filter people.
It also generally uses space better. Select a game in the old client and you get small info boxes surrounded by an expanse of nothing. It’s nice to see that the gaps are now filled with big news and colorful images.
One of the most annoying things about the old launcher was the separation of the social panel, which means you have to scroll between windows to see what your friends were up to. Now all of this stuff is neatly integrated on the right side. A big thumbs up from me.
Blizzard has also improved accessibility, which means you can navigate most of the app using your keyboard. Support for screen readers has also been added.
Here’s a quick comparison between the two:
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The old Battle.net launcher
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And the homepage of the new launcher
Looking at them both side by side makes the old client look really dated, doesn’t it? I can’t get over that unused space, gah.
The new patch will roll out first in North America and arrive in other regions in the coming weeks.