New StarCraft Game Pitches from Korean Developers to Blizzard

Exciting developments are stirring in the StarCraft universe, as Blizzard reportedly entertains pitches from multiple Korean studios eager to expand this iconic franchise. According to Asia Today, as highlighted by the X / Twitter account @KoreaXboxnews, four renowned Korean companies—NCSoft, Nexon, Netmarble, and Krafton—are vying for the opportunity to develop new StarCraft games and secure publishing rights. Some of these companies have even traveled to Blizzard's headquarters in Irvine, California, to present their ambitious proposals.

NCSoft, the powerhouse behind the Lineage and Guild Wars MMOs, is reportedly pitching a StarCraft RPG, possibly an MMORPG. Nexon, known for The First Descendant, proposes a "unique" take on the StarCraft IP. Netmarble, with hits like Solo Leveling: Arise and Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, is aiming to bring StarCraft to the mobile platform. Meanwhile, Krafton, the creator of PUBG and inZOI, is planning to leverage its own development capabilities to craft a distinctive StarCraft game.

While pitches are commonplace in the gaming industry, StarCraft enthusiasts are buzzing with anticipation over Blizzard's potential plans to revitalize this beloved sci-fi universe. It's been a considerable time since the last StarCraft release, making these developments all the more significant. When approached for comment, Activision Blizzard remained silent on the matter.

Adding to the excitement, Blizzard has been working on a third StarCraft shooter project, led by former Far Cry executive producer Dan Hay, who joined Blizzard in 2022. This news emerged in September, as reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier during an appearance on IGN's Podcast Unlocked. Schreier, discussing his book "Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment," mentioned the ongoing development of a StarCraft shooter, codenamed Ares. However, he cautioned that at Blizzard, "If it's not canceled!"—referencing the company's troubled history with StarCraft shooters.

Blizzard's past attempts at expanding the StarCraft franchise into shooters have been fraught with challenges. The much-anticipated StarCraft Ghost, announced in 2002, was intended to be a tactical-action console game but was ultimately canceled in 2006 after numerous delays. A second project, codenamed Ares, which was described as "like Battlefield in the StarCraft universe," met a similar fate in 2019, as Blizzard shifted focus to Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2.

More recently, Blizzard posted job listings for an "upcoming open-world shooter game," hinting strongly at another StarCraft FPS. This, along with other initiatives, suggests a renewed focus on the franchise. Blizzard has also released StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft 2: Campaign Collection on Game Pass and announced a StarCraft crossover with the Warcraft card game Hearthstone, indicating that things are slowly ramping up for StarCraft.