StarCraft has, despite everything, retained a place as a keystone franchise among Blizzard’s stacked catalogue. The whole “no new games at all” thing hasn’t stopped it from being the defining example of a Real-Time Strategy experience, and to see it earn a new title is more than earned.
What is a touch more surprising is that this new title may not be an RTS, nor any other kind of strategy title. Based on several reports, it’ll be either a first or third-person shooter.
Rumors of a new StarCraft title are not new, but information keeps piling up. This recent batch comes via dnews; though if you can’t read Korean, this ResetEra thread offers a translation.
“Evidence suggests that Nexon has begun full-scale development of a new title using the StarCraft IP (intellectual property),” the translation reads. “Combining Nexon’s expertise in shooting games with StarCraft’s expansive universe could create a “megaton” project capable of shaking the global gaming market.”
Nexon has several divisions underneath it to help organize development, and this new StarCraft project has been assigned to their Shooters division.
“Nexon has reportedly set up a dedicated team and recruited key talent to prepare for this project,” The translation continues.
Could A Nexon Shooter Do Justice To Starcraft’s Legacy?
If you need an example of what a Nexon shooter is like, Embark Studios makes for a solid specimen. They’re the group responsible for The Finals, and more recently, ARC Raiders – both of which have a solid reputation in the shooter space.
Now, it’s still possible that a StarCraft shooter may pay homage to the brand’s tactical roots. StarCraft Ghost was a previous attempt to make a StarCraft shooter, and that game had a strong focus on stealth as well. Unfortunately, that project ended before release.
That stealth DNA could get brought back in some way. They may also offer a degree of squad control, not unlike what The Bureau: XCOM Declassified was aiming for.
But the industry has shifted a lot since the days of stealth or tactics. Something in the vein of Space Marine 2 feels much more likely, since that game has found stronger (and far more recent) success. A live-service title also seems reasonably likely, as many of Nexon’s shooter titles fall under that umbrella.
This new StarCraft project does have some hurdles to jump through before full development begins, though. As the translated dnews report reads: “Nexon previously acquired the Final Fantasy IP in 2015 to prepare a new title but halted the project at the planning stage. The StarCraft project is reportedly undergoing a rigorous internal prototype and commercial viability evaluation.”
Nothing is set in stone at this stage, and Nexon is remaining appropriately tight-lipped on a project they’ve not even confirmed internally quite yet. But the gears are, apparently, in motion. And as RTS games remain a tough sell in the modern gaming space, StarCraft may become a franchise focused on big space marines and close-and-personal action rather than distant strategy.
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