- Home
- Game launchers
- Battle.net
Battle.net
What it is
Battle.net is a game launcher and companion app for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Its desktop app brings games into one library, launches them, installs games and patches, and can keep them updated while running. Players can browse free-to-play titles such as Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone, shop for games and expansions, and send digital gifts. The app also connects friends through messaging and voice chat, with real-time updates, and provides news about sales, trailers, and patch notes. The mobile app supports shopping, social features, news, chat, friend presence, friend requests, and account safety. Users can enable two-factor authentication. The free plan costs nothing; games and some in-game purchases may cost extra. Offline mode is limited to select games, and downloading games or applying updates requires an internet connection. Social features and matchmaking are unavailable offline. Blizzard Support offers help with account access, authenticators, phone numbers, parental controls, and payments.
For and against
For
- Desktop app installs games and patches.
- Includes messaging and voice chat.
- Mobile app supports shopping and friend requests.
- Two-factor authentication is available.
Against
- Offline mode is available only in select games.
- Downloads and updates require an internet connection.
- Games and some in-game purchases may cost extra.
The verdict
Battle.net combines game launching, updates, store access, news, and social features in desktop and mobile apps. Keep in mind that offline play is limited and some games or in-game purchases cost extra.
Who it suits
Battle.net suits players who want a single desktop place to launch games, manage updates, shop, and connect with friends. Its mobile app may suit players who want account and social features while away from their computer.
Plans and prices
Battle.net desktop/mobile app
Launcher and account app; games, expansions and digital goods are sold through the shop
Read 15 Oct 2026 · download.battle.net
Battle.net desktop app and mobile app
Desktop app for Windows and Mac · mobile app for iOS and Android · games and some in-game purchases may cost extra
Read 30 Sep 2026 · download.battle.net
On the record
- Account security
- Blizzard recommends adding an authenticator and says two-step verification makes unauthorized account access extremely difficult.us.support.blizzard.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- API authentication
- The Battle.net OAuth API provides client-credentials access for game data and authorization-code access for player profiles, with regional endpoints.apis.io · read 15 Oct 2026
- API coverage
- The documented ecosystem includes World of Warcraft, Diablo III, Hearthstone and StarCraft II game or community APIs.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- API limitation
- API Evangelist reports that Battle.net exposes REST and OAuth request-response APIs but no documented WebSocket, server-sent-events, GraphQL subscription, gRPC or webhook streaming surface.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Apple privacy disclosure
- Apple says identifiers may track users and that purchases, contact information, user content, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics may be linked to identity.apps.apple.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company founders
- Crunchbase lists Allen Adham, Frank Pearce and Michael Morhaime as founders.crunchbase.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company founding
- Trustpilot's company information states Blizzard Entertainment was founded February 8, 1991 as Silicon & Synapse.trustpilot.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company headquarters and size
- LinkedIn lists Irvine, California headquarters and a 1,001–5,000 employee company size.linkedin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company legal name
- Crunchbase lists the legal name as Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.crunchbase.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Free access
- The download page advertises free games such as Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 plus trials of other titles.download.battle.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- Game installation
- Blizzard Support says all World of Warcraft versions and game modes are installed through the Battle.net desktop app.us.support.blizzard.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Game launcher
- The desktop app launches games, connects players with friends, and provides news and updates.download.battle.net · read 30 Sep 2026
- Game library
- The app brings games together in one place and offers access to free-to-play games such as Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone.download.battle.net · read 30 Sep 2026
- Game updates
- The desktop app can install games and patches and keep them automatically up to date while running.news.blizzard.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Google Play privacy
- Google Play says the app may share personal information, app activity and app-performance data, encrypts data in transit and supports deletion requests.play.google.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Integration: Xbox and third-party games
- Windows Central reports that Battle.net added Xbox first-party titles and The Witcher 3 as its first third-party game.windowscentral.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- iOS availability
- Apple lists Battle.net as a free iPhone entertainment app requiring iOS 26.0 or later.apps.apple.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- iOS release features
- Recent iOS releases added in-app video, faster social navigation, Apple Pay checkout, game news and patch-note tabs, Xbox Game Pass views and Overwatch hero statistics.apps.apple.com · read 15 Oct 2026
The review
Battle.net is best suited to players invested in Blizzard games who want one desktop hub for launching, updating, shopping, and keeping in touch. Its strongest case is the integration with Blizzard’s catalog; players who need dependable offline access should look elsewhere.
Overview
Founded in 1991, Battle.net brings game access, store purchases, news, and social tools together across desktop and mobile apps. The library includes free-to-play titles such as Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone, while games and some in-game purchases may cost extra. That makes the app free to use, but not every game or purchase free.
Key features
Library, installation, and updates
The desktop app launches games, installs them and their patches, and can keep them current automatically while running. This is particularly valuable for World of Warcraft players: all versions and game modes are installed through Battle.net. For those players, the app is a necessary gateway; for someone organizing games from a wider range of publishers, its emphasis on Blizzard’s catalog may be less useful.
Store, news, and social tools
Players can buy games and expansions and send digital gifts. Sales, trailers, and patch notes make the launcher useful between sessions, while desktop messaging, voice chat, friend connections, and real-time updates help players coordinate. These features make Battle.net more than an installer, though they depend on being online: social features and matchmaking are unavailable offline.
Mobile and account security
The iOS and Android app supports shopping, chat, friend presence, friend requests, news, and account safety while away from the desktop. Users can enable two-factor authentication, and Blizzard recommends adding an authenticator. That is a useful safeguard for an account tied to games and purchases, but it does not remove the need to manage account access carefully.
Offline limits
Offline mode works only in select games. Downloads and updates require an internet connection, so Battle.net is a poor fit for preparing games or relying on social and matchmaking features without connectivity.
Pricing
The desktop app for Windows and Mac and mobile app for iOS and Android are free: free. There is no free trial because the apps are offered on a free plan. The plan provides access to the launcher and its features, but some games and in-game purchases cost extra; the free app should not be mistaken for an all-free game library.
Platforms
Battle.net supports Windows and macOS on desktop, and Android and iOS on mobile. The desktop app handles game installation, launching, and updates; the mobile app provides shopping, social features, news, and account-safety tools.
Who it's for
Battle.net is the clearest choice for Blizzard players, especially World of Warcraft users who must install every version and game mode through the desktop app. It also suits players who want Blizzard news, purchases, gifts, and friend communication in one place. Those who need broad offline functionality or a hub not centered on Blizzard should consider another launcher.
Pros and cons
- Pro: Installs and updates Blizzard games in one place, including all World of Warcraft versions and modes.
- Pro: Combines purchases, digital gifts, news, messaging, and voice chat rather than limiting the desktop app to launching games.
- Pro: The mobile app keeps chat, friend presence, requests, shopping, and account tools available away from the desktop.
- Con: Some games and in-game purchases cost extra, so the free app does not make the catalog free.
- Con: Offline mode is limited to select games, and downloading, updating, social features, and matchmaking require connectivity.
Alternatives
Steam is another free option, with a free plan and support for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows; game and content prices vary, and some subscriptions may be free. Pick it if those platforms better match your setup.
GamersGate is a paid option for readers comparing game platforms across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.
DMM Games offers a freemium plan and a ¥980 a month subscription billed for 30日間. It is an option for readers weighing a subscription against Battle.net’s free app.
Game Jolt is a free alternative available on Android, iOS, Linux, web, and Windows.
Xbox Games is a freemium alternative with a free plan on Android, iOS, web, and Windows.
Epic Games Store is another freemium option with a free plan across Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows.
itch app is free for Linux, macOS, and Windows, and its app project is open source.
GOG Galaxy is free for macOS and Windows, but requires a free GOG account and some platform-specific features require the relevant gaming client.
For more choices, browse Game Distribution Platforms or PC Game Launchers.
Verdict
Choose Battle.net if Blizzard games are central to your library: its launcher, updates, store, news, and player connections make a focused and useful hub, and World of Warcraft installation runs through it. Look elsewhere if offline access or a launcher less tied to Blizzard matters more than that integration.
