Blizzard is reportedly receiving multiple pitches for new StarCraft video games from Korean studios, signaling a potential revival of the beloved sci-fi franchise. According to an article highlighted by X / Twitter account @KoreaXboxnews, Asia Today revealed that four prominent Korean companies are vying for the chance to develop new StarCraft games and secure publishing rights: NCSoft, Nexon, Netmarble, and Krafton. Representatives from these companies have even traveled to Blizzard’s headquarters in Irvine, California, to pitch their ideas.
NCSoft, known for its Lineage and Guild Wars MMOs, proposed a StarCraft RPG, possibly an MMORPG. Nexon, the developer behind The First Descendant, pitched a "unique" take on the StarCraft IP. Netmarble, responsible for titles like Solo Leveling: Arise and Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, is aiming to create a StarCraft mobile game. Krafton, the powerhouse behind PUBG and the upcoming Sims competitor inZOI, wants to leverage its development capabilities to craft a new StarCraft experience.
While pitches are a common occurrence in the gaming industry, the interest from these major Korean studios is noteworthy, especially given the long hiatus since the last StarCraft game. Blizzard has yet to comment on these developments, but StarCraft fans are eagerly watching for any signs of expansion in the much-loved universe.
Adding to the excitement, Blizzard has been making moves to revitalize the franchise. In September, it was revealed that Blizzard is working on a third StarCraft shooter, led by former Far Cry executive producer Dan Hay, who joined Blizzard in 2022. This news was shared by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier on IGN’s Podcast Unlocked, discussing his book Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. Schreier noted that while the project is in development, its fate remains uncertain given Blizzard's rocky history with StarCraft shooters.
Blizzard's previous attempts to create StarCraft shooters have been fraught with challenges. StarCraft Ghost, announced in 2002, was canceled in 2006 after multiple delays. A second attempt, codenamed Ares, was scrapped in 2019 to focus on Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2. Despite these setbacks, Blizzard continues to show interest in the genre, as evidenced by recent job postings for an "upcoming open-world shooter game," believed to be a StarCraft FPS.
In addition to these developments, Blizzard has been actively engaging the StarCraft community. They recently released StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft 2: Campaign Collection on Game Pass, and announced a crossover event with the Warcraft card game Hearthstone. These efforts suggest that Blizzard is committed to keeping the StarCraft universe alive and thriving.
