Imagine you're waiting the subway in some god forsaken station in the city of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and for a moment you forget about what you're thinking and actually pay attention to the advertisement signs hanging from the ceiling and the walls. It reads "Starcraft II comming out on etc etc" with the image of a zerg staring at ya.

I don't know about the US and the EU, but for me, this kind of heavy advertisement of a game (as if it was a cutting edge Hollywood movie) is totally new to me. I mean, I've never seen this before here, in my life.

What strikes me the most is that I know from experience that this country isn't exactly known for it's anti-piracy policies and also that that kind of advertisement isn't exactly something cheap to do.

A few weeks later I'm listening to my favorite radio station (a very famous one) and I suddenly hear the announcer talking LIVE about the game (in that kind of hosted advertisement that tends to be the most expensive), how much it costed (10+- US dollars I'm definitely getting it) and where you could go buy it.

I wonder if this is happening in other countries too and for how long it has been being done in 1st world countries.

Not sure about StarCraft, but here in Australia you occasionally see advertisements for new games (big ones, like Rockstar's Games) on bus-stops, on the sides of trams, etc. You also see TV and cinema advertisements for new games occasionally, but they're usually funded by either Sony or Microsoft (not the developer/publisher).

In Korea, Starcraft (obviously) has got a huge budget.

GSL tournaments (monthly event) - Individual prizes up to US$80k

TV advertisements:

The starcraft planes:

Imagine you're waiting the subway in some god forsaken station in the city of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and for a moment you forget about what you're thinking and actually pay attention to the advertisement signs hanging from the ceiling and the walls. It reads "Starcraft II comming out on etc etc" with the image of a zerg staring at ya.

I don't know about the US and the EU, but for me, this kind of heavy advertisement of a game (as if it was a cutting edge Hollywood movie) is totally new to me. I mean, I've never seen this before here, in my life.

What strikes me the most is that I know from experience that this country isn't exactly known for it's anti-piracy policies and also that that kind of advertisement isn't exactly something cheap to do.

A few weeks later I'm listening to my favorite radio station (a very famous one) and I suddenly hear the announcer talking LIVE about the game (in that kind of hosted advertisement that tends to be the most expensive), how much it costed (10+- US dollars I'm definitely getting it) and where you could go buy it.

I wonder if this is happening in other countries too and for how long it has been being done in 1st world countries.

Its not uncommon in sweden either, Blizzard tend to advertise their games heavily: These ones for example was aired on TV before and during the wrath of the lich king launch in quite many countries:
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related
Or in france:
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

For starcraft 2 this for example was aired on TV in quite a few countries aswell:
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=o7HOn96muDs

this country isn't exactly known for it's anti-piracy policies

Piracy problem has been solved, so it's not a factor anymore.

[quote name='owl' timestamp='1300766082' post='4788956']
this country isn't exactly known for it's anti-piracy policies

Piracy problem has been solved, so it's not a factor anymore.[/quote]If by solved you mean that you don't mind people playing for free anymore...

[quote name='Antheus' timestamp='1300800176' post='4789092']
[quote name='owl' timestamp='1300766082' post='4788956']
this country isn't exactly known for it's anti-piracy policies

Piracy problem has been solved, so it's not a factor anymore.[/quote]If by solved you mean that you don't mind people playing for free anymore...
[/quote]

Was Battlenet breached?

SC2 comes with free guest mode for solo campaign, which is about enough to finish it. The mods, the multi-player, the 12-year longevity lies with multi-player.