The launcher of Blizzard and Activision, Battle.net, has not won any “Elegant and Pleasant to Navigate” award over the years. Blizzard has begun releasing an update that could change that, however, as it will draw the aging customer into a more orderly Battle.net 2.0.
Announced on Blizzard, Battle.net 2.0 is not a world away from its predecessor, but I’m certainly a fan of how games are displayed in a row along the top, as opposed to a long list that it runs to the left. In addition, the new library view looks great, with its ability to filter games. I’m really excited about these filters, folks.
It also makes better use of space in general. Select a game in the old client and you will get tiny information boxes surrounded by a stretch of nothingness. It’s nice to see that the gaps have now been filled with big news and colorful pictures.
One of the most annoying things about the old launcher was the separation of the social panel, which means you’ll have to twist between windows to see what your colleagues were doing. Now, all of this is well integrated into the right side. A big thumb up from me.
Blizzard has improved accessibility, which means you can navigate most of the app with the keyboard. Screen reader support has also been added.
Here’s a quick comparison between the two:
-
-
The old Battle.net launcher
-
-
And the home page of the new launcher
Looking at them both side by side, the old customer really seems dated, doesn’t he? I can’t get over that unused space, gah.
The new patch will be released first in North America and will reach other regions in the next few weeks.