Could the long drought finally be over for StarCraft fans? According to a recent report, Blizzard Entertainment is closing in on a dEal with South Korean publishing giant Nexon to develop a brand-new game set in the StarCraft universe — potentially the franchise’s first major new release in over a decade.
What the Report Says About the Nexon–Blizzard Deal
According to Bloomberg, Blizzard held discussions with multiple developers about reviving its iconic sci-fi strategy franchise, and Nexon has emerged as the company closest to finalizing an agreement. Details remain scarce: it is currently unclear whether the project would be a traditional real-time strategy game in the vein of StarCraft II or a spin-off that explores the universe from a different angle.
Just as importantly, sources indicate the deal has not yet been signed. As with any rumor of this magnitude, there is always a chance negotiations could fall apart before anything official is announced, and neither Blizzard nor Nexon has publicly commented on the reported talks.
Why Nexon Makes a Lot of Sense
A Korean Powerhouse With Deep Roots
On paper, Nexon is a fitting custodian for the franchise. The South Korean publisher is one of the most successful companies in gaming, best known for MapleStory, KartRider, and Dungeon&Fighter, alongside more recent efforts like the co-op shooter The First Descendant and the breakout hit Dave the Diver.
There is also something poetic about the pairing. Nowhere on Earth embraced StarCraft quite like South Korea, where Brood War practically invented modern esports — filling PC bangs, spawning televised leagues, and creating the first generation of professional gamers. Handing the license to a Korean studio would be a full-circle moment for a series that owes so much of its legacy to that country.
StarCraft’s Long Road Back
Years of Cancelled Projects and Quiet Dormancy
The franchise has been largely dormant for years. StarCraft II launched back in 2010, went free-to-play in 2017, and saw active development wind down in 2020. In that same stretch, Blizzard cancelled a StarCraft first-person shooter codenamed Ares, while the infamous StarCraft: Ghost remains one of gaming’s most legendary cancelled projects. Fans, meanwhile, have been asking the same question for years: what about StarCraft?
How Microsoft Factors In
The reported deal also has to be viewed through the lens of Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, completed in 2023. Microsoft has shown a clear appetite for reviving dormant IP, and the timing lines up nicely: StarCraft: Remastered and the StarCraft II Campaign Collection were added to PC Game Pass in late 2024, signaling renewed corporate interest in the brand.
Outsourcing a beloved franchise to an external partner would be a relatively new playbook for Blizzard, but it is one Microsoft has used successfully before with series like Age of Empires. And with the RTS genre enjoying a quiet renaissance thanks to titles like Stormgate and Tempest Rising, the market conditions for a StarCraft comeback arguably have not looked this good in years.
Temper Your Excitement — For Now
Until Blizzard or Nexon confirms anything, this remains an unverified report, and even if the deal closes, game development takes years. Still, this is the most encouraging StarCraft news the community has received in a very long time.
In the meantime, if you want to revisit the Koprulu sector while you wait, you can grab Battle.net gift cards and StarCraft II: Campaign Collection codes at TURGAME.com, along with game keys and gift cards for thousands of other titles.
Source: Destructoid