New StarCraft Game Pitches from Korean Developers to Blizzard: Report

Reports suggest that Blizzard is fielding numerous proposals from prominent Korean studios eager to create new StarCraft games and secure publishing rights. Highlighted by the Asia Today article shared via the @KoreaXboxnews Twitter account, the competition includes four major companies: NCSoft, Nexon, Netmarble, and Krafton. Each studio has reportedly presented innovative ideas to capitalize on the StarCraft intellectual property. For instance, NCSoft, known for its MMO successes like Lineage and Guild Wars, has proposed a potential StarCraft RPG, possibly an MMORPG. Nexon, creator of The First Descendant, introduced a unique concept leveraging the StarCraft universe. Netmarble, famous for titles such as Solo Leveling: Arise and Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, aims to develop a mobile StarCraft game. Meanwhile, Krafton, the developer behind PUBG and iZOI, seeks to craft a StarCraft title using its distinct development expertise. While pitches between game developers are common, the interest in expanding the StarCraft franchise is noteworthy, especially given the lengthy gap since the last major installment. Activision Blizzard has not commented on these developments. Notably, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier disclosed during a Podcast Unlocked interview that Blizzard is actively pursuing a third attempt at a StarCraft shooter under the leadership of Dan Hay, formerly of Far Cry. This follows two previous cancellations: StarCraft Ghost in 2006 and Ares in 2019. The latest hints point toward an open-world shooter potentially tied to the StarCraft universe. Recent StarCraft updates include remastered editions of the original game and StarCraft 2 campaigns on Game Pass, along with a crossover event with Hearthstone. These moves signal a renewed interest in the beloved franchise, keeping fans hopeful for future developments.