StarCraft Returns in 2030 as an Open-World Shooter

Blizzard announced at BlizzCon 2026 that the next StarCraft game, simply titled StarCraft, will be an open-world shooter instead of a real-time strategy game, with a release targeted for 2030. This marks the franchise's first major new entry in over a decade. The game will abandon the traditional top-down unit control, placing players directly in the war-torn sci-fi universe, though Blizzard has not yet revealed playable characters, platforms, or story details. Former Far Cry executive producer Dan Hay is leading the project, which represents Blizzard's third attempt to turn the strategy franchise into an action game. Previous efforts include StarCraft: Ghost, announced in 2002 and canceled in 2006, and a second project codenamed Ares, canceled in 2019. The new game aims to position StarCraft as a rival to Warhammer 40K, but players will need to wait until 2030 to experience it.