Blizzard Takes Another Shot at a StarCraft Shooter: What We Know So Far

Blizzard Entertainment is once again venturing into the realm of StarCraft-themed shooters, despite past setbacks with two previous titles that were ultimately canceled. This intriguing development comes to light in a new book by renowned games journalist Jason Schreier and was recently discussed on an IGN podcast.

This time, the shooter is being spearheaded by veteran developer Dan Hay. With his impressive track record, Hay appears well-suited for the role. Known for his contributions to the Far Cry series—particularly Far Cry 3, where he served as creative director—Hay joined Blizzard to oversee the ill-fated survival game Odyssey before its abrupt cancellation. His current work on the StarCraft shooter marks the first significant update on his career since then.

Although details about the game are still scarce, the fact that it’s a StarCraft shooter is confirmed. Given Blizzard's history with similar projects, some fans are cautiously optimistic about its fate. There’s a bit of skepticism, though, considering previous StarCraft shooter endeavors, like StarCraft: Ghost and Ares, which both met untimely ends.

A History of Canceled StarCraft Shooters

The StarCraft universe has a troubled history when it comes to shooter games. StarCraft: Ghost, one of Blizzard’s first attempts at expanding the franchise into the shooter genre, spent years in development limbo before it was eventually canceled. Years later, an unfinished version of the game leaked online, giving fans a glimpse of what might have been.

Blizzard’s second shot came with Ares, another StarCraft FPS that was reportedly well along in development before getting scrapped in 2019. According to reports from Kotaku, the game was shaping up to be quite promising, yet Blizzard pulled the plug before it saw the light of day.

The Future of the StarCraft Shooter

While it’s hard to predict the future of this latest StarCraft shooter, fans are hoping for a different outcome this time. With Dan Hay at the helm, there’s renewed optimism that the project will see completion and deliver a thrilling experience that taps into the rich StarCraft lore. In the best-case scenario, gamers could soon find themselves battling alien swarms in an action-packed shooter set in the beloved StarCraft universe.

In the meantime, StarCraft fans have plenty to look forward to, as StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft II are both set to hit PC Game Pass on November 5. Whether or not the new StarCraft shooter survives development, fans can still immerse themselves in the franchise’s iconic real-time strategy offerings.

Conclusion

Blizzard’s latest foray into the StarCraft shooter genre brings both excitement and caution. With a strong developer like Dan Hay at the helm and lessons learned from previous attempts, the gaming community eagerly awaits more details. Until then, StarCraft fans can revisit the classic titles and speculate on the potential of this upcoming release.

Stay tuned for updates on Blizzard’s new StarCraft shooter, and in the meantime, prepare for more StarCraft action when StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft II arrive on PC Game Pass this November.4o