Blizzard has announced that it is releasing a new update for "Starcraft: Brood War."  After the update, the game will be free to download.  The move by the "Overwatch" publisher should attract new fans to the "Starcraft" franchise as well as entice old fans to return to the game.

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Blizzard said in a release that it was updating "Starcraft: Brood War" with new features.  Version 1.18 of the game will be released later this week.  Also, the real-time strategy game, which was first released in 1998, will be made completely free to download.

The 1.18 update will include bug-fixes and new features such as an official observer mode and the ability to rebind keys.  The game will have improved compatibility with Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 and it will also receive modern anti-cheat measures.

The most significant change that will come with the new update is that the game will be completely free to download and play.  Blizzard recently stopped offering the "Starcraft Anthology" on its online store and the company will soon be making it available to download at no cost.  Previously, "Starcraft Anthology" was sold for $14.99.

The free release by Blizzard should bring much-needed attention to the once popular franchise. The offer of a free game would appeal to a wider audience and captivate new players in the hopes of sparking their interest in the "Starcraft" series.

The release of the upcoming remastered version of the original "Starcraft" would benefit from the renewed interest in the franchise.  At the same time, the marketing of the remastered game should provide more attention and possibly more interest in Blizzard's beloved franchise.

The free game will also bring in more users to open a Blizzard account and use the Blizzard app.  The free game can only be downloaded through Blizzard's launcher.  As more users experience Blizzard's marketing through its app, the company's games receive more exposure which may very well translate into enough interest from players to purchase their products.

This would have a direct impact on the visibility and popularity of Blizzard's video games.  In the long run, giving away the original "Starcraft" would benefit recent games such as "Starcraft 2" and future games as well, especially those within its video game series.