I am an avid StarCraft fan. Normally, one starts by saying something like that when they’re about to complain, but this isn’t that sort of post. I’ve been playing the beta of SC2, and, while I’m having to re-learn quite a bit, I’m loving it.

There are many reasons for this, but I’m going to hold off on talking about them until another post. This one is to ask you why you aren’t playing the beta, unless you are, in which case, never mind. But it’s also to pass along the news that an official released date, July 27, has been announced for SC2. As they say in the trailer, “Finally.”

If you’re currently saying, “Curse you and your beta key! I want one!” then you’re in luck. If you weren’t aware, many places will give you a beta key when you pre-order a copy of SC2. But, what if you don’t like pre-ordering? We’ve got that covered, too. If you go to EB Games or GameStop, you can put down a $5 down payment on a pre-order, and they’ll give you a beta key. If you want to abandon your deposit, no harm, no foul, and you still have a beta key.

You’re out of excuses. Go play StarCraft.