Blizzard has revealed – via Battle.net – that the highly anticipated sequel/expansion to StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty will be released on March 12th, 2013. Not only that, but Blizzard has updated the game’s FAQ page, revealing the contents of the Digital Deluxe Version that will be unleased in 2013.

Those who purchase the Digital Deluxe Version will get:

-Three StarCraft II Swarm-themed Battle.net portraits
-StarCraft II Zerg Ultralisk “Torrasque” skin
-World of Warcraft Baneling Battle Pet
-Diablo III “Blade Wings” item – Queen of Blades-styled wings for Diablo III heroes
-Diablo III Zerg banner sigil

The original digital version of StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm will be priced at 39.99 euros, whereas the Digital Deluxe version will cost you 54.99 euros.

In addition, PC gamers will be able to purchase a pack for 59.99 euros that will contain both Heart of the Swarm and Wings of Liberty.

UPDATE:

Blizzard has issued a press release in which the company officially revealed the game’s release date, as well as its Collector’s Edition. Blizzard boss, Mike Morhaime, had this to say:

“With Heart of the Swarm, our goal has been to expand on the multiplayer action and cinematic storytelling of Wings of Liberty. Combined with features like unranked matchmaking and our new leveling system, this expansion elevates the StarCraft II experience for players of all skill levels.”

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm Collector’s Edition will feature:

-Behind-the-Scenes DVD and Blu-ray: Immerse yourself in the StarCraft universe with developer commentary, interviews with voice actors, and an in-depth historical retrospective on StarCraft’s eSports legacy narrated by key members of the community.
-Collector’s Edition Soundtrack CD: Enhance your Heart of the Swarm musical experience with this collection of more than a dozen tracks from the game.
-Heart of the Swarm Hardcover Art Book: This 144-page tome features never-before-seen art from the expansion, including early concept sketches and meticulous 3D renderings.
-Zerg Rush Mousepad: This Collector’s Edition mousepad depicts the Terran Dominion holding out desperately under the onslaught of the Swarm.

Heart of the Swarm picks up the story of StarCraft II where Wings of Liberty left off, focusing on Kerrigan’s quest to reunite the Swarm and exact revenge on Arcturus Mengsk. Over the course of 20 campaign missions, players will follow Kerrigan as she sweeps across the galaxy, incorporating a variety of distinctive zerg species into her brood. Kerrigan will grow in strength from mission to mission, and players will be able to customize her with powerful new abilities, as well as evolve various zerg strains into fearsome new subspecies to suit their play style.

New weapons of war also debut in Heart of the Swarm’s multiplayer, including new units such as Terran Hellbats, Zerg Swarm Hosts, and Protoss Tempests, while certain existing units from Wings of Liberty will be updated with new capabilities. New features will enhance the game experience, including group and clan systems; unranked matchmaking; Global Play, enabling players to battle others in different regions around the world; additional stat tracking; user interface improvements; an enhanced physics system, for more visceral looking battles; multiplayer replays, to watch replays with friends; a leveling system that gives Heart of the Swarm players a new way to earn customization options for their online profiles; and much more.

Heart of the Swarm has received a 16 rating from PEGI. In addition to the English version, Heart of the Swarm will be fully localized into Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, European Spanish, Russian, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Italian, and Polish. Availability of Heart of the Swarm in mainland China will be announced at a later date.