After more than a decade away, StarCraft is officially coming back. Blizzard at their Blizzcon event has announced a new game in the legendary sci-fi franchise, targeting a 2030 release and cooking up a different take for the classic series’ return.
Set decades after StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void, the game will return players to the world of Starcraft but, make no mistake, this is not another sequel in the original series. Instead, Blizzard will forgo the real-time strategy format of the originals and intends to pivot the next entry into a more pure first-person shooter category, much to the chagrin of longtime fans.
All may not be lost for the RTS enthusiasts though. A reemergence of the title, even as a shooter, could mean bigger things for the series as a whole. If the new entry finds a foothold with the next generation, it’s not unreasonable to expect further punching out of the Starcraft universe, including a true RTS sequel in the form of Starcraft III.
For now, that future remains a while away and leaves us with plenty of time to speculate on what exactly Blizzard will be delivering. What doesn’t require speculation is the excitement that the announcement trailer has kicked up. Though purely cinematic—no one expected a gameplay exhibition when development is just getting underway—the trailer does give a sense of the interplanetary scope of the world and perhaps the dread and terror that the game will bring.
Check out Starcraft’s official announcement trailer below and see for yourself.