Canny Blizzard have made what I’m choosing to interpret as an admittance of defeat in the StarCraft 2 WCS / Dota 2 International scheduling conflict of their own making. Thanks to their new iOS app, you can glance intermittently down at goings on in Heart of the Swarm’s regional finals this weekend while you watch the culmination of Valve’s “eSports Super Bowl” on the big screen.
The WCS App is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, and will host streams of all major StarCraft 2 matches, WCS or no – as well as on-demand videos of recent matches. Blizzard’s video team will produce highlight collections and pro spotlights, and fans will be able to stream all of this to nearby TVs via Airplay.
Beyond the important moving image stuff, there are a load of nifty bits of functionality – including regularly updated news and profiles of top players, schedules replete with (optional) reminder alarms for upcoming matches, and a ‘no spoilers’ tick box.
It seems Blizzard are hoping to build an install base ready for the first flowers of next year’s StarCraft 2 Season – they’re promising to keep you updated, informed and entertained “beyond” the WCS Global Finals at Gamescom at the end of this month.
You can buy the WCS App, naturally enough, through the Appley Apple App Store. “That will put you one step closer to having the WCS at your fingertips, on your person, and in your life all the time,” say Blizzard. “As it should be.”