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I am currently in Korea and will stay here for a while. I have a problem though: My SC2 account is European. And I have no Alien Registration Card right now until March. So now I wonder:

Does the "Start Edition" include multiplayer-access? (I assume "SE players are also unable to use versus and co-op matchmaking" means that it practically doesn't?) And aside from the a 30-day subscription for ₩9900, is there any other option except paying the ₩69,000 for unlimited everything?

Because even though I already got an ARC-number, for whatever silly reason the gov deactivates its usage for registering online unless I'm on a proper visa again. (Right now I'm on a tourist visa / waiver program.) And I didn't create an iPin earlier... I guess the 30-day subscription also needs my ARC no? Because otherwise I might just bridge the time until I get my ARC reactivated with this silly 30-day subscription...

So with a lack of an iPin (or "gPin" now?) and a non-usable ARC, what are my options?

Or is there a way to change my existing licence and account from EU to KOR? Even if I only can change it that once, I'd do it! I won't be in Europe for a while... Yet I assume even when there is, I can't circumvent the "citizen ID" requirement? (Which I can fulfill but is blocked right now. -.-)

Finally: I indeed want to play fair and don't want to (have to) borrow a Korean ID or crap like that! I know (saw it with my own eyes) that people give out their ID's or account data / CD-Key online, Koreans are very kind. But I don't want to be (a) go this way and (b) be reliant upon such a system which is mostly in Korean (/ for Koreans) anyways.

For me the whole thing is highly confusing and frustrating. The citizen ID registration requirement together with my inability to use my existing (and never changing!) ID is extremly annoying!

Thank you for your help in advance

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    IF you don't get your answer here. teamliquid.net/forum/starcraft2 could prove a more useful forum for the question. As its populated with pro-gamers and people that may have been in your situation. – artifex Jan 30 '12 at 7:41
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A couple other people have linked the guide on teamliquid so I'm going to instead shared my experience using it.

I did this right before the TW and KR servers merged last year so some of the info I provide might be out of date.

First, I went to OffGamers and purchased a TW version of Starcraft 2. This required me to add a phone number. It turns out the reason they want your phone number is that they are going to call you on it (as in long distance from Taiwan) to make sure you're really buying this and your credit card wasn't stolen. At the end of the process they gave me a game code (an alphanumeric code).

This next part was tricky. You have to log into the Taiwanese battlenet with your American battlenet account. That last part was confusing for me as I spent a good deal trying how to figure out how to create a Taiwanese account only to find out I couldn't (and didn't need to). At these point you want to redeem your code. Well you can't do that (this was also confusing). What you can do is now go to buy a digital game and set your region to Taiwan and select Starcraft Wings of Liberty. It was only at that time it let me enter in my code as payment. After which I was able to download the Taiwanese client. To install I had to "relocate" my American client and install the Taiwanese normally (Starcraft 2 isn't picky where you run it from).

It's worth noting that my American Battlenet account now shows me owning both the Taiwanese and American versions of Starcraft 2. This is strong evidence that Blizzard is ok with my having multiple accounts on multiple servers.

PS. KR/TW server is much much harder. On day 1 I barely placed into Gold (I normally enjoy Masters on US) and I had to fight my way up. Over time you get better, but be prepared to lose a lot initially.

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  • Hey tzenes, that sounds excellent, very detail, thanks so much! Just one question: What do you mean by "I had to "relocate" my American client and install the Taiwanese normally"? Did you leave your American client installed or did you have to install the Taiwanese and keep it? Or did you have to install the TW client temporarily and then switch back to the US client? Or did you switch within the user interface? ...and how did you navigate all the Chinese? O.o – grunwald2.0 Feb 7 '12 at 19:54
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    I have both clients installed. I physically moved the US client to a new location (ie. not Program Files), and installed the TW client normally. I navigate the menus via memory (ie. I've memorized them all by now). – tzenes Feb 7 '12 at 21:49
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The main thing is that you need a korean Social security number to get a korean account. However you can play on the korean ladder with an account from Taiwan(TW). There is no SSN resctriction on the TW account.

You do need the TW client installed to play with the TW account.

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  • and here is described how you can get a TW account w/o any ID – fschl Jan 30 '12 at 11:51
  • I do have a "Korean Social Security Number" equivalent called "Alien Registration Number"! But the issues are described as above. Actually the Blizzard support just told me that too. -.- And thanks F.S. I will have a look. – grunwald2.0 Jan 30 '12 at 12:29
  • Isn't creating a 2nd account against the TOS? Because to get that unrecognized, I'd have to use totally fake details? Not only fake address (Korean address = impossible right now?) but also a fake name? – grunwald2.0 Jan 30 '12 at 12:38
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    @grunwald2.0 I don't think so, every Pro has multiple accounts to be able to play in different regions for tourneys.KR top200 consist of like 30-50people with like 5accounts each;) And you won't need another Bnet-acc,just add the TW-key to your home account. – fschl Jan 30 '12 at 13:12
  • Ok, yet now the Blizzard support changed my country to KOR, but the system doesn't accept even the digital banking certificates >.< grr so I need to wait until my ARC gets reactivated by immigration or I make a new (taiwanese) account...still you didn't explicitly state what I do with the address etc.? – grunwald2.0 Jan 30 '12 at 14:57
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You can actually get a legal account to play on the Korean ladder by contacting a Starcraft 2 retailer selling the Taiwanese version.

I would suggest RTS Dealer - I know someone from Sweden who's currently staying in South Korea who got a Korean account from them legally without the hassles of getting a korean id.

You would need a TW client though in order to play.

Guide in installing the client: http://www.rtsdealer.com/2011/12/how-to-install-korean-starcraft-2.html

Google RTS Dealer or try contacting them via skype: rtsdealer

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  • Way Baskey, and what do I put as Taiwanese address then? Because when I take Korea, don't I have to have a valid KSSN/ARN again? And this means I need to make a NEW (2nd) account any way? Isn't this against the TOS, at least officially? – grunwald2.0 Jan 30 '12 at 12:35
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    You don't need to create a new Bnet profile / account. Just ask the dealer to have a Taiwanese license added to your current profile. And it does not break any Blizzard TOS. If you want to put your concerns at rest, contact them. They set it all up for you and you can start playing on the Korean ladder right after. (Provided you have downloaded and installed the TW client) – Way Baskey Jan 30 '12 at 16:21

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