Battle.net Balance Goes Live

Blizzard has announced that its payment service Battle.net Balance is now live.  The new service allows players to purchase digital downloads of all Blizzard games and time cards for World of Warcraft.  The release of Balance also heralds the last step in getting Diablo III online and into player’s hands.

That game will feature the ability to purchase auction items from other players with real-world cash (detailed here).  The controversial new addition may be another way that Blizzard can monetize its games amid massive losses in player base for the past couple of years.

In the near future, players will be also able to use Battle.net Balance for the digital World of Warcraft Battle Chest and WoW digital upgrades. In addition, with the upcoming launch of Diablo III, players will have the option to use Battle.net Balance to buy and sell items in the game’s currency-based auction house.