Early access to StarCraft 2: Legacy of the Void’s Whispers of Oblivion available today

Starting today, anyone who pre-purchases StarCraft 2: Legacy of the Void, the standalone conclusion to the StarCraft 2 trilogy, will automatically gain immediate access to all three "Whispers of Oblivion" prologue missions featuring the legendary Dark Templar Zeratul.

First revealed during E3's PC Gaming Show, Whispers of Oblivion is a three-mission series that will bridge the storyline between Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void, the second and third expansions, respectively. "In these missions, players will join Zeratul to unravel the mysteries of the Xel'naga prophecy," the description reads.

Though Whispers of Oblivion will eventually be made available to everyone free of charge before Legacy of the Void's launch, pre-purchasing the third expansion will allow you to play the free missions now and grants you access to the ongoing Legacy of the Void beta test.

To make it even easier for fans to get in on the action, Blizzard is no longer requiring gamers to own Wings of Liberty, the first expansion, to play Heart of the Swarm, making it the perfect time to catch up on Kerrigan's story.

As for Legacy of the Void, this standalone conclusion to the trilogy, arriving this winter, features a "galaxy-spanning" Protoss campaign with new multiplayer features such as the cooperative Allied Commanders and Archon Mode. Allied Commanders is an open-ended game mode with campaign-style objectives where each player will choose a powerful commander to lead their favorite army into battle and fight in diverse scenarios with dynamic, campaign-style objectives. Archon Mode is a two-player mode where players merge together to become a greater, unified force by sharing control over a single base, making it the perfect mode for rookies to learn tactics and strategies from veteran players.

For those looking to purchase Legacy of the Void it will come in a Standard Edition (physical and digital versions available) for $39.99. There's also a Digital Deluxe Edition for $59.99 which unlocks a variety of in-game bonses for Blizzard games, including:

• Archon battle pet ready to join your side in World of Warcraft
• Void Seeker mount to charge through the Nexus in Heroes of the Storm
• Protoss card back to demonstrate your psionic potential in Hearthstone
• Protoss-themed portraits and unit skin for StarCraft II

And lastly, there will be a retail-exclusive Collector's Edition ($79.99), which comes with the digital bonus items from the Digital Deluxe Edition, as well as a special edition of the upcoming full-color hardcover StarCraft Field Manual; a DVD with cinematics and special features; and a CD soundtrack