12 Awesome Gifts For Your Favorite Blizzard Fan

Dota 2 is free to play with no exceptions. The only items you can purchase are purely cosmetic. This makes it so everyone can have an equal experience with the entire game without paying one dime. If you want, however, you can purchase things such as outfits, environmental effects, announcer packs, HUD skins, loadings screens and couriers (an animal in Dota 2 that will bring you your items after purchasing them). You can purchase a battlepoint booster, which will increase the rate at which you level up for a certain amount of time. However, your level has no effect on the game. Dota 2 isn't stingy with these either, as it gives you a random cosmetic item every time you level up.


It's hard not to get teary-eyed watching Tyrael descend from the sky voluntarily even out of context, but when the trailer arrives just at the right point in the game's story, there's no denying its impact. Although Diablo 3 is incredibly replayable, the game's story does matter and it's hard not to become attached to its characters in between long sessions of looting. We dare players to make it through the game without getting invested in this st


StarCraft 2's Betrayal on Kerrigan trailer is one of the company's most emotional creations. The cinematic is heartbreaking whether you are a fan of the series or not, but it hits home particularly hard for old school StarCraft fans. The trailer offers gamers a view from the ground as Kerrigan is betrayed by her own commander and left alone to be infested by the Zerg. The legendary betrayal takes place in the original StarCraft and this retelling of the hero turned villain's last moments of righteousness even borrows the original dialogue from the classic

That would be like the U.S. claiming it isn't a militarily focused nation, because they spend a relatively small percentage of its GDP on military. This overlooks the fact that the U.S. is perhaps the richest nation in the world, meaning that that small percentage is more than the next 30 or so developed countries combined. So how much money do free-to-play games make off micro-transactions? I don't know. But I know it's more than enough to stay in business, it's more than enough to make PopCap not even consider bringing Plants vs. Zombies 2 to any other platform besides mobile , and it's more than enough to entice several other games to go free-to-play, or at least to use micro-transactions.


Longtime World of Warcraft fans know that the Hearthstone was originally an item found in Blizzard's still popular MMO long before it was used as the title of a standalone collectible card game. Regardless of which version you prefer, this Hearthstone Throw Pillow Plush is perfect for a quick nap in between gaming sessions or as a back support while playing Hearthstone's upcoming December expansion . The pillow is 46 centimeters tall and made out of premium "Supersoft" plush mater

Plants vs. Zombies 2 already has 10 "premium plants" for a total cost of more than $30 altogether, tax included. And that's just plants. You can also pay for upgrades and in-MOBA game beginner guide coins. To my knowledge, Plants vs. Zombies never went higher than $20 for the whole game, with no micro-transactions, so I can only assume PopCap is making a truckload off of this. Now I know people like to point out how less than 10 percent of people who play free-to-play games participate in micro-transactions. This makes it seem like the companies are doing what's best for the player by offering a portion of their game for free, while only making a small chunk of change on the side to get by. It's a compelling narrative that doesn't hold up to scrutiny. This number conveniently leaves out how much money they're actually making from those ten percent of people who want a full gaming experience.

Another strategy game I played on my list is SteamWorld Heist and it’s a winner for me. Understanding the gameplay is simple and the story jumped right into the action. Exploring randomly generated ships and shooting it out with robots makes every stop along the way a true challenge. The old west aesthetic and steam-powered environment in SteamWorld Heist is pulled off much better than Wild Wild West. It’s almost the complete opposite of SteamWorld Dig but you could say SteamWorld Heist is a more grown-up version in the series. It’s a game to both kill time and robots with.

This benefits the player and Valve equally, because Valve offers players items they genuinely want to buy, not have to buy or be left behind. Valve makes money, Dota 2 players look pretty. But Dota 2 players who haven't spent any money can still stomp into the ground players who have a cosmetic set for every hero. Moving away from League of Legends (since that debate is a particularly stomach-turning can of worms), consider Plants vs. Zombies 2. PopCap was sold to Electronic Arts after the first MOBA game walkthrough, and EA moved the sequel to an all-mobile platform that's free to play, but it's the wrong kind of free to play. It's the kind with micro-transactions that offer a better gaming experience.