StarCraft: Everything we know so far about Blizzard's new open-world,…

Blizzard Entertainment just revealed a brand new StarCraft game. It isn't a sequel to 2010's StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty, nor is it a real-time strategy game – this is a story-driven shooter set in an open world, taking place some 70 years after the StarCraft 2 campaign.

StarCraft was revealed at BlizzCon 2026 with an exceptionally pretty cinematic trailer. We've pulled everything you need to know about the new game into one place, including the first cinematic and screenshots. So keep on reading to get yourself up-to-speed on this impressive, long-awaited new instalment to the StarCraft universe. capturengo.org

StarCraft release date and platforms remain undefined

Blizzard Entertainment has announced that the next iteration of the StarCraft franchise is going to launch in 2030. The studio stopped short of announcing any further details about the StarCraft release date, nor did it confirm any platforms. At this stage, expect that StarCraft will come to PC and Xbox at the very least, although it's unclear if it will come to PlayStation – the Xbox Reset has introduced a return to console exclusivity, so we'll have to wait for more detail on this one.

StarCraft reveal trailer

The return of StarCraft made its debut at BlizzCon 2026. The cinematic trailer didn't display any gameplay, but it was a good mood piece that was designed to give you a feel for the world and story. Naturally, StarCraft was given a stunning cinematic trailer reveal, which you'll find embedded above.

StarCraft screenshots

Along with the StarCraft reveal trailer, Blizzard Entertainment also released a small handful of screenshots pulled from the cinematic. You'll find those in the gallery above, so feel free to swipe through them all if you want to get a better feel for the gritty StarCraft aesthetic.

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StarCraft gameplay

There's a lot we still need to learn about the new StarCraft game. Here's what we can tell you about it so far: StarCraft is a brand-new, AAA game set in the wider StarCraft universe. It's not a real-time strategy title – the genre the series is known for playing in – but is rather an open-world experience. Specifically, it's a story-driven, open-world shooter, with production led by Dan Hay (creative director of Far Cry 5).

StarCraft story and setting

StarCraft is a sci-fi shooter that's set decades after the events of StarCraft 2. Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed that the game will take place in a "living universe" – specifically, it'll be set in the Koprulu Sector, some 70 years after StarCraft 2: Legacy of the Void. The Koprulu Sector is probably better known as a sector colonized by the Terran and Protoss factions, situated on the galactic fringe of the Milky Way.

The StarCraft reveal trailer suggests that we'll be joining up to battle a resurgent Swarm, and that the battles will be particularly brutal for the Dominion faction fighting to reclaim a foothold in the Koprulu Sector. Blizzard promises that we'll learn more in the years to come.

StarCraft development

StarCraft is in development at Blizzard Entertainment. This is the first new StarCraft game in over 15 years, with StarCraft 2 landing way back in 2010. The project is being led by Dan Hay, who previously served as creative director of Far Cry 5 and executive producer of the franchise.

This isn't the first time that Blizzard has tried to bring a third-person shooter in the StarCraft universe to life. Back in 2002 we almost received StarCraft: Ghost, which Blizzard had hoped to help it push into the console gaming space, although the game was canceled after multiple failed iterations. It's rumored that another StarCraft shooter, codenamed Ares, was canceled in 2019 so that the publisher could put all of its resources towards Diablo 4 and Overwatch.

The StarCraft development team is packed with Blizzard veterans, including:

• Jeff Chamberlain – Creative Director, Story and Franchise Development
• Steven Chen – VP, Blizzard Animation
• Dan Hay – General Manager and Creative Director
• Paul Lee – Senior Game Producer
• Jens Sjöbergh – Senior Creative Director
• Benjamin Lee – Game Director
• Ben Dai – Senior Cinematic Director
• AnaLee Haertling – Associate Manager, Development Operations
• Jamie Wood – Art Director
• Jeff Guy – Production Director

Discover everything else that was announced at BlizzCon 2026.

Reactions to the StarCraft trailer shown at BlizzCon this year seem pretty universal. Initial excitement, immediately deflated when the words "STARCRAFT RETURNS 2030" appeared at the end. (The fact it's going to be an "open world shooter" didn't help.) The surprise announcement of Diablo 5 coming in 2029 seems odd too. There were 11 years between Diablo 3 and Diablo 4, but the gap between that and Diablo 5 will only be six.

Announcing videogames more than a couple of years ahead of release feels like a relic of the past. Everyone assumes games will get delayed anyway, and viewers are adding "at the earliest" as a footnote. Saying something is just around the corner earns goodwill, while saying it's three or four years away tells us to gear up for a hype cycle we'll be tired of before the actual game materializes—if it ever does.

Blizzard president Johanna Faries spoke to Bloomberg ahead of BlizzCon. "We want to convey confidence in some of our biggest bets coming forward," she said on this topic. "We're a Blizzard that's going to ship, and ship big, and ship on time, and all hands on deck to set those projects up for success."

Blizzard has so far managed to avoid being hit by Microsoft's recent layoffs, but more are coming next year. It's a good time to make sure everyone knows you've got loads of exciting projects in the works and you need as many staff as possible to make them a reality.

While Faries didn't discuss the possibility of job losses, she did say she wanted BlizzCon to be "a sort of oasis, a moment for real joy" for both Blizzard's staff and its fans, and that she was "completely focused on creating as healthy a Blizzard as possible".

"Preserving that has been my ultimate focus," Faries said. "The unique special sauce that is Blizzard both culturally and creatively. And to the extent that we can perform well for Microsoft, I think that should be seen as a mutual win."

At today's Blizzcon opening ceremony, it was announced that Hearthstone will receive a third post-launch class—the game's first since the Death Knight released in 2022. It's none other than the Monk, a class with origins you can trace all the way back to Warcraft 3's pandaren brewmaster.

Represented by the playable Chen Stormstout, the Monk will get a full reveal next year. While not World of Warcraft's most popular class, it is perhaps its silliest, which fits Hearthstone's cartoonish sensibilities to a T. After this point, the Evoker will be the only class from Blizzard's titan MMO that isn't represented in card game form (unless you count the Night Elf Mohawk).

The expansion coming in the meantime, Reign of the Black Empire, is another old god-themed extravaganza, complete with bouncy electronic grooves all over the trailer. No goofy lyrics this time around, but what can you do?

It also comes with a new keyword, "assemble," which allows players to merge cards for ludicrous combos. It sounds like the sort of shenanigan-magnet Hearthstone is known for.

Reign of the Black Empire will land on Oct. 10, with the Monk class arriving March 2027. Follow the rest of today's Blizzcon news on our liveblog.