Blizzard announces StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void will launch this winter, opening up pre-purchases to a few different editions of varying deluxitude for the final chapter in the RTS sequel. To help close the deal they offer immediate access to the free Whispers of Oblivion prologue pack, the promise of beta access to Legacy of the Void, and access to an upcoming, yet-to-be-revealed StarCraft Warrior Hero coming to Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard's MOBA. They round out the announcement with word that the first StarCraft II expansion, Heart of the Swarm, is now a standalone release that no longer requires the original StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. Here's word:

Picking up where Heart of the Swarm® left off, Legacy of the Void casts you in the role of Hierarch Artanis, leader of the technologically advanced protoss race. Years ago, the protoss homeworld of Aiur fell to the merciless zerg Swarm. Now, you have raised a powerful fleet of warships known as the Golden Armada and are poised to reclaim your world. But an ancient evil threatens your destiny and the fate of the entire Koprulu Sector. The galaxy’s only hope is for you to reunite the protoss factions and defeat the coming darkness.

To whet players’ appetites before the launch of the full campaign, a special action-packed prologue titled “Whispers of Oblivion” bridges the storyline between Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void. In these missions, players will join Zeratul to unravel the mysteries of the Xel’naga prophecy. Whispers of Oblivion will be available to everyone free of charge before the Legacy of the Void launch, but players who pre-purchase now will receive instant access to all three prologue missions in the Legacy of the Void beta test.

Legacy of the Void™, the third and final chapter in the StarCraft II saga, is a standalone game, meaning you’ll be able to purchase, play, and harness the power of the protoss without owning any previous entries in the series.