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If you want to install StarCraft or Brood War today, you do not need to retrieve an old CD key: Blizzard’s current instructions say both are free to download and require no DVD or activation code. Install them through the Battle.net desktop application after signing in to a Blizzard account. If you need access to a legacy disc copy or have an account-specific problem, the old key-retrieval advice does not establish that your key can be recovered.
Why people searched for a StarCraft CD-key retriever
“Starcraft CDkey Retriever” is the title of a December 5, 2001 AnandTech forum thread. The original poster said the game was still installed on a cousin’s computer after the physical CD key had been lost, and wrote: “I remember seeing a program that let you retrieve your own CDkey in case you lose it.” The question was about extracting a key from an existing installation, not about Blizzard’s current download process. Read the AnandTech thread.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty | $11.48 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Starcraft Gold - Includes Expansion Pack (PC CD) | Buy on Amazon | |
| 3 |
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Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void - Standard Edition | $42.94 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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StarCraft: Brood War Expansion (Boxed) | $3.59 | Buy on Amazon |
Install StarCraft or Brood War without the old key
Blizzard’s current StarCraft Installation and Patching guidance says StarCraft and Brood War are free to download and do not require a DVD or activation code. It directs players to install through the Battle.net desktop application, which requires signing in with a Blizzard account.
- Install and open the Battle.net desktop application.
- Sign in to your Blizzard account.
- Find StarCraft in the application and install the game. Follow the available installation options for Brood War.
For the ordinary goal of playing the downloadable game, recovering a key from the old installation is unnecessary.
#1 Best Overall
- Fast-paced, hard-hitting, tightly balanced competitive real-time strategy gameplay that recaptures and improves on the original game
- Three completely distinct races: Protoss, Terran, and Zerg
- Units and gameplay mechanics distinguish each race
- 3D-graphics engine with support for visual effects and massive unit and army sizes
- Full multiplayer support, with competitive features and matchmaking utilities available through Battle.net
If your problem is a legacy disc copy or account
The 2001 thread does not establish a safe, available tool for retrieving a key, and it does not establish that Blizzard can restore a specific legacy key today. One reply speculated that Blizzard might provide a key for a registered copy; that is a forum user’s suggestion, not a current recovery policy.
If you cannot sign in to Battle.net, or your issue is about ownership or access to an old physical copy rather than installing the current download, contact Blizzard Support for guidance on your account. Do not assume a key can be extracted or restored.
Rank #2
- Build new units
- construct Lurkers, Medics, Valkyries, Corsairs, Dark Archons and more
- Explore new worlds
- storm frozen wastes, scour arid deserts and navigate the twilight worlds of the Dark Templar
- Command new missions
Should you use a “CD-key grabber”?
No recommendation in the forum verifies such a program’s safety, legitimacy, or present availability. A commenter’s mention of a “CD-key grabber” is not enough to trust or download one. Since the current download route does not require an activation code, there is no need to run an unverified utility just to install the game.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- This is a standalone product. It does not require any other version of StarCraft II to play
- Internet Connection Required
- Battle.net registration and Battle.net Desktop Application required
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