New Battle.Net App Launches In Beta

Alongside the BlizzCon festivities and announcements like Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4, Blizzard unveiled a newly revamped version of its game launcher, Battle.net. The new version is now available in beta and makes some significant UI improvements to the app.

The most obvious change is to the game selection, which is now represented by icons across a horizontal bar, leaving more vertical space for a friends list and game detail menus. According to the announcement, the increased access to friend chats is a direct response to user feedback. It also shows more recent updates and highlights for new games.

The beta is up for anyone who has opted in to test Battle.net updates. If you want to be a part of these tests, you can opt in by going to the Beta menu under Settings in the desktop app.

This news came alongside big announcements for many of Blizzard's major franchises. Those included Overwatch 2 with a story campaign and redesigned heroes, the grim return to the world of Diablo, and new expansions announced for both World of Warcraft and Hearthstone. Blizzard president J. Allen Brack also took a moment at the top of the opening ceremonies to address the recent controversies and Hong Kong protests, and expanded on those thoughts in an interview.