StarCraft
News, coverage and analysis tracking StarCraft across the outlets.
Latest coverage
New StarCraft title to launch in 2030, will be an open-world FPS
Blizzard Entertainment announced at BlizzCon 2026 that the next StarCraft title will be an open-world first-person shooter, scheduled for release in 2030. This marks a significant departure from the franchise's real-time strategy roots. The game will feature a standalone story with a definitive ending, and Blizzard also revealed Diablo 5 for Spring 2029 and World of Warcraft: Forever.
Blizzard announces single-player StarCraft and Diablo 5 but there's bad news
Blizzard announced new installments for StarCraft and Diablo at BlizzCon 2026, but with distant release dates. The new StarCraft will be an open-world shooter focusing on single-player, targeting a 2030 launch, while Diablo 5 is set for Spring 2029. The company president stated these early announcements aim to convey confidence in future projects, despite Blizzard's history of delays.
Blizzard explains why it's revealing StarCraft and Diablo 5 release dates so far away: "We want to convey confidence in some of our biggest bets"
Blizzard Entertainment has announced release dates for Diablo 5 (spring 2029) and a new StarCraft open-world shooter (2030), a departure from their usual 'done when it's done' approach. President Johanna Faries stated this is to "convey confidence in some of our biggest bets." The company also revealed World of Warcraft: Forever, a Diablo Netflix series, and other updates, amidst ongoing Microsoft layoffs.
Weekend Discussion - September 13, 2026
This Weekend Discussion article from Shacknews recaps the past weekend, mentioning ongoing playthroughs of Elden Ring and The Sims, and highlighting recent Shacknews articles. It also features a list of songs and mentions staff writer Sam Chandler.
StarCraft general manager says the shift to open-world shooter came about because 'Every time we drew a picture or…
The StarCraft franchise is shifting from its traditional real-time strategy genre to an open-world shooter. General manager Dan Hay explained that this change emerged organically from team discussions focusing on ground-level experiences, narrative, and exploration. The next StarCraft game is slated for a 2030 release.
MMO Week in Review: Foreverrrrr
BlizzCon 2026 saw major announcements including a new open-world StarCraft shooter, Diablo V for 2029, and World of Warcraft Forever launching soon. The event also revealed World of Warcraft's next retail expansion, The Last Titan, and sparked controversy over World of Warcraft Forever's monetization. Other news included the sunsetting of Ship of Heroes, layoffs at Pantheon Rise of the Fallen, and business dealings involving ArcheAge.
You’ll Fight The Protoss In StarCraft, Too, Don’t Worry
Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming StarCraft game will feature the Protoss faction, despite their absence from the initial reveal trailer. Creative director Dan Hay confirmed that all three factions will be present and interact with each other, emphasizing distinct gameplay flavors for the Protoss, Zerg, and Terrans. The game will adopt a third-person perspective and focus on a single-player campaign.
The StarCraft Shooter Is A Third-Person Game, And Blizzard Insists That You Have To Feel “Powerful”
Blizzard Entertainment has revealed that the new StarCraft game will be a third-person shooter, a departure from the franchise's real-time strategy roots. Game GM Dan Hay emphasized the importance of making players feel powerful and seeing their customizable armor. The game is currently planned for a 2030 release and will focus on single-player experiences.
StarCraft Reboot Is “Focusing On Single-Player,” Creative Director Says
StarCraft's creative director Dan Hay confirmed that the upcoming reboot, described as an open-world shooter, is focusing on single-player content. The game aims to deliver a complete "boxed product" experience with a named protagonist who builds reputation within the game's world. Blizzard Entertainment announced the title at BlizzCon 2026, with a planned release in 2030.
Blizzard Explains Why The StarCraft Shooter Coming In 2030 Was Announced Now
Blizzard Entertainment general manager Dan Hay explained the decision to announce the StarCraft open-world shooter, slated for 2030, at BlizzCon. He stated that the team felt they had enough of the story, characters, and world to share, and wanted to get feedback from fans early in the development process. Hay also noted that setting a firm release date helps focus development efforts.
StarCraft is a narrative-driven shooter with 'a definitive ending' and 'not a seasonal game'
Blizzard Entertainment announced a new StarCraft game, described by GM and creative director Dan Hay as a narrative-driven, open-world shooter with a definitive ending, not a seasonal live-service title. Set 70 years after StarCraft 2, the game will feature a customizable protagonist and allow players to explore a rich world, engage in serious missions with narrative consequences, and scavenge for gear. The game is slated for a 2030 release.
StarCraft, Diablo 5 and WoW Forever Define BlizzCon 2026
Blizzard Entertainment unveiled a significant lineup of new games and updates at BlizzCon 2026, including a new StarCraft open-world shooter targeting 2030 and Diablo 5 for 2029. World of Warcraft Forever, a remastered version of the original game, will launch November 4. The event also featured new content for Diablo 4, Overwatch, Warcraft 3, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm, alongside a Diablo animated series.
After announcing StarCraft and Diablo 5 years in advance, Blizzard president promises "to ship, and ship big, and…
Blizzard Entertainment president Johanna Faries expressed confidence in the long-term development of StarCraft and Diablo 5, despite their distant release windows of 2030 and 2029 respectively. Faries stated the company's commitment to shipping games on time and emphasized preserving Blizzard's unique culture amidst Microsoft's ownership and recent layoffs.
Diablo 4's new season brings back Deckard Cain and all three Prime Evils as the game arrives on Switch 2
Diablo 4's upcoming Season of Hell's Legacy, launching September 15th, will celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary and mark the game's debut on the Nintendo Switch 2. The season features the return of Deckard Cain and the Prime Evils Diablo, Baal, and Mephisto, alongside new Legacy Uniques and challenges. Diablo 4, including its expansions, will be available on Nintendo Switch 2 on the same day.
The World of Warcraft "Classic+" rumours were true and it's called World of Warcraft: Forever
Blizzard Entertainment has officially confirmed World of Warcraft: Forever, a new "Classic+" experience set to launch on November 4th. Beta access begins September 17th for pre-purchasers of upgrade packs. The game will be included with an existing World of Warcraft subscription and features new zones, quests, dungeons, raids, and playable races, set between existing lore points.
StarCraft is back, but it's not the RTS you remember - it's an open-world shooter coming spring 2030
Blizzard Entertainment announced a new StarCraft game at BlizzCon 2026, set to launch in spring 2030. This installment will be an open-world shooter, a departure from the series' traditional real-time strategy roots. The announcement was accompanied by a cinematic trailer, and the game is currently only showing an Xbox logo, suggesting exclusivity.
Former Far Cry boss says it's "an honor" to take over StarCraft: "We won the cosmic lottery"
Former Far Cry lead Dan Hay is heading the development of a new StarCraft game, which will be an open-world shooter. Hay expressed his honor and seriousness in taking on the beloved franchise, calling it a "cosmic lottery." The game, simply titled StarCraft, is set 70 years after Legacy of the Void and is slated for a 2030 release.
Why is Blizzard still announcing games years ahead of release? 'We want to convey confidence in some of our biggest…
Blizzard Entertainment's strategy of announcing games years before their release, exemplified by StarCraft and Diablo 5, is questioned as a potentially outdated marketing approach. President Johanna Faries stated the company wants to convey confidence in its major projects and ensure they ship on time, aiming to create a healthy Blizzard culture amidst potential future layoffs.
StarCraft's 2030 release is proof "we're serious," says project lead and former Far Cry boss, and it's "a date that we feel really confident about"
Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed a new StarCraft game, an open-world shooter, is in development with a projected 2030 release date. Project lead Dan Hay and associate director AnaLee Haertling expressed confidence in the date, aiming to reassure the long-awaiting community despite the significant lead time.
Diablo 5 Launches in Spring 2029 and It’s Set in a World Where the Lord of Terror Has Won
Diablo 5 is slated for a Spring 2029 release, featuring a dark narrative where the Lord of Terror has triumphed, leaving Sanctuary in ruins. Blizzard Entertainment revealed that players will explore a fallen world, making difficult sacrifices to gain powers. Meanwhile, Diablo 4 continues to receive updates, including the Age of Hatred Collection on September 15th for Nintendo Switch, adding the Amazon class and Javelin weapon in 2027.
