StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm to offer AI training program

StarCraft 2's upcoming Heart of the Swarm expansion will add a multiplayer-focused, AI-guided training mode in addition to the single-player campaign.

The mode is described as a "training area" where the difficulty gradually ramps up, and the AI offers advice on how to play. Having completed the training program, the player is offered the chance to play a real unranked match against the AI.

While speaking with PCGamesN, Mike Morhaime said the training mode is one of a couple of new features coming in Heart of the Swarm designed to help ease new players in.

"We want to make the game more accessible to players that aren't necessarily ready to jump into a highly competitive scene," he said.

"A lot of players never make the transition from the campaign to matchmaking - to playing against people they don't know."

Accessibility is also behind Blizzard's decision to offer unranked matches.

"A lot of people do feel intimidated, at least at first, in playing in ranked play. Unranked matches are a big step in that direction," he said.

Heart of the Swarm is expected in the first or second quarter of 2013.

Thanks, games.on.net.