Insider Report: Blizzard’s New StarCraft Shooter in Development

According to insights shared in journalist Jason Schreier’s latest book about Blizzard Entertainment, the company may be working on a new StarCraft shooter. During an appearance on IGN’s Unlocked podcast, Schreier disclosed that he learned of a StarCraft shooter project currently spearheaded by Dan Hay, the Executive Director of Far Cry at Ubisoft.

If this information is accurate, it would mark Blizzard’s third attempt at creating a shooter within the StarCraft universe. The first initiative was StarCraft: Ghost, first announced in 2002 as a stealth-action game. After several delays and a change of hands between various studios, the project was ultimately canceled in 2014. Another internally developed project, codenamed StarCraft: Ares, had been in the works since 2017 before it was also abandoned by mid-2019.

Despite the previous setbacks, it appears Blizzard is not ready to abandon the concept of a StarCraft shooter. Nevertheless, as Schreier pointed out, the podcast participants expressed skepticism regarding the current project’s likelihood of release, considering the studio’s historical performance. As of the time Schreier completed his book, slated for release on October 8, the shooter remained in internal production.

The complicated development history of StarCraft shooters highlights Blizzard’s ongoing desire to extend its renowned RTS franchise into alternative genres. However, organizational issues and fluctuating visions have frequently hindered these aspirations. Blizzard is under significant pressure to deliver a successful new intellectual property.

Although StarCraft has been somewhat sidelined in recent years while Blizzard has focused on other projects, the series has gained renewed interest lately. During the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2024 presentation, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer announced that StarCraft Remastered and StarCraft 2: Campaign Collection will be available on PC Game Pass starting November 5, 2024.

What are your thoughts on the rumors surrounding the StarCraft shooter? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments.

Source