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The "Preparing Game Data" screen in StarCraft II is a known technical bug where the game attempts to download a recurring file—typically between 137MB and 600MB+ —at extremely slow speeds (often capped at 50-300 KB/s ) every time it is launched.

Yes, even though it’s "local" data preparation, the launcher phones home during verification.

However, if this window appears every time you launch the game or takes an unusually long time to complete, it often indicates a known bug related to mismatched language settings or corrupted local cache files. Why "Preparing Game Data" Happens Asset Streaming:

: If the game was launched before it was 100% finished downloading, it will stream data in the background, which can be significantly slower than a standard download. Troubleshooting and Fixes 1. Align Language Settings

: Files in the ProgramData or AppData folders may be corrupted, causing the verification process to fail and restart.

Cleaning out temporary data often resolves stuck verification loops.