Blizzard unveiled a new entry in the StarCraft series at BlizzCon 2026, shifting the franchise to an open-world shooter format with a planned release in 2030. The game, simply titled StarCraft, was announced during the event's keynote.
Dan Hay, a former lead producer on the Far Cry series, is heading the development team. Hay stated that the project aims to "re-ignite" the StarCraft universe. A trailer was presented, depicting a Marine named Holt undergoing training for the Dominion. The trailer then shows Holt being overrun by Zerglings upon arrival on a planet, with sounds of Mengsk heard in the background. Developers are looking into incorporating additional easter eggs within the trailer.
This new StarCraft title represents a significant departure from the series' real-time strategy roots. The developers are targeting a 2030 launch for the game, indicating a long development cycle. The straightforward title, StarCraft, may potentially lead to confusion with the original real-time strategy games. Nevertheless, the announcement marks the return of the StarCraft intellectual property to active development.