Several Battle.net users report that they were given a digital copy of  Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty for free upon logging into the service over the weekend.

Gaming can be an expensive hobby, considering the amount of new hardware that hits the scene, and the number of must-play titles vying for our hard-earned cash. This makes the occasional freebie all the more appealing, especially when we're talking about a complimentary copy of a critically acclaimed release like Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty.

Over the weekend, several Battle.net users logged into the service and found that their library was one title larger. Upon accessing their account, they were informed that they had been granted a copy of Starcraft II, free of charge.

"I'm just a tad confused as to why I actually received the game for free?" wrote one Reddit user on Saturday. "I mean, I'm not complaining. But it just seems odd to me."

"I don't know what to make of this," wrote another. "It just showed up with little fanfare and no explanation other than, 'we've given you a game.'"

At this point, it's difficult to decipher any kind of pattern as to why users are being given the game. While there have been plenty of reports from people claiming to have received a copy, many other users have logged into the service and found no such freebie waiting for them.

One theory is that Battle.net users who have spent plenty of time and money on other Blizzard releases are being rewarded with the gift of Starcraft. Several users who received the game claim have apparently spent hundreds of hours playing World of Warcraft, or have opened lots of loot boxes in Overwatch — of course, this could simply be circumstantial.

There's also the possibility that the Wings of Liberty could be going free-to-play, and the users that have already received the game are simply first in line. Given that the game launched all the way back in 2010, it wouldn't appear to be too soon for this kind of promotional tactic.

The Starcraft II campaign is split across Wings of Liberty and its two expansions; Heart of the Swarm and its concluding portion Legacy of the Void. This means that to experience the full saga, the users that have been gifted the first instalment will have to purchase the other two chapters.

Blizzard clearly hasn't given up on Starcraft II — just a few months ago, Overwatch character D.Va was added to the game as a special announcer. If the studio wants to encourage Battle.net users to dive into the game, there are few better ways to do so than offering up free copies.

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty is available now for PC.