News - Blizzard announces Starcraft 2; images & videos inside
Posted by
Josh Freund
at 02:00:47 AM EST on 5.19.2007.
Update #11 - It now appears that
StarCraft2.com is up and running. The site has a Flash version (the default version) and a non-Flash version (selectable on the page). You can also download the cinematic trailer and artwork trailers in DivX (.avi) format directly from the web site. The game play trailer is set to be released for download on 5/20/07. There is also a screenshot page with 10 screens viewable.
Update #10 - A shorter video of gameplay mixed in with concept art can be found
here.
Update #9 - Gameplay video Youtube'd; once again thanks to Tieno.
Update #8 - Gameplay video now up
here. Don't be surprised if it takes a long time to load. You can also try
this link.
Update #7 - Blizzard isn't ready to state a release date, but we do have a press release now. Here's the pertinent section.
Designed to be the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game, StarCraft II will feature the return of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg races, overhauled and re-imagined with Blizzard's signature approach to game balance. Each race will be further distinguished from the others, with several new units and new gameplay mechanics, as well as new abilities for some of the classic StarCraft units that will be making a reappearance in the game. StarCraft II will also feature a custom 3D-graphics engine with realistic physics and the ability to render several large, highly detailed units and massive armies on-screen simultaneously.
"With StarCraft II, we'll be able to do everything we wanted to do with the original StarCraft and more," stated Mike Morhaime, president and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We recognize that expectations are high following the long-running popularity of the original game, but we plan to meet those expectations and deliver an engaging, action-packed, competitive experience that StarCraft players and strategy gamers worldwide will enjoy."
StarCraft II will include a unique single-player campaign, as well as fast-paced online play through an upgraded version of Blizzard's renowned online gaming service, Battle.net®. In addition, the game will come with a powerful, full-featured map editor that will put the same tools used by Blizzard's designers into the hands of players.
Blizzard is developing StarCraft II for simultaneous release on the Windows® and Macintosh® PC platforms.
Also, the official site should be going live soon at
StarCraft2.com. Right now, it's still showing the Blizzard games timeline teaser.
Update #6 - First captures from the gameplay demo:
Update #5 - Thanks to Tieno from NeoGAF for uploading the CGI trailer to Youtube.
Note: Kerrigan sighted at 3:49.
Update #4 - Trailer can be viewed
here!
First captures from the trailer:
.
Update #3 - Check out IGN's
live blog for a running account of the gameplay demo (which reveals lots of new units and new abilities for existing units). We'll be updating with the important details (release date, known story info, and hopefully media) in the morning.
Update #2 - Dustin Browder, the lead designer of
Starcraft 2, is actually playing the game at the event. So far, IGN has seen a new ability for Protoss zealots that allow them to quickly close the gap between them and an enemy, as well as new Protoss units called Immortals. If attacked with strong weapons, Immortals activate shields that make them extremely hard to damage.
Update #1 - Thanks to IGN, some info is coming in. The Terrans, Zerg, and Protoss are back, as are the Vespene gas and minerals to harvest. Big surprise there.
Original story - Just moments ago at its Worldwide Invitational event in Seoul, South Korea,
Blizzard announced a title that will surely bring joy to the hearts of RTS gamers around the world. Yep, it's none other than
Starcraft 2. As the sequel to one of the most popular real-time strategy games (heck, one of the most popular PC games) of all time, this is a
huge announcement.
We don't have any details right now, but we just wanted to get word of this announcement to you. We'll be sure to update later as information becomes available.
Source:
IGN,
Gamemeca
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-1 karma
terpfen 5.22.2007 at 11:51:29 AM
Morzas, you depress the hell out of me.
Age of Empires is bad because Microsoft published the first two games in the series, then outright bought Ensemble Studios before the third game came out? Come on. We're not talking about Windows here.
Supreme Commander isn't bloated. I don't understand where you get that from. It's one of the most scalable RTS games I've ever seen. It runs fine on my laptop, a 1.6Ghz Pentium M machine with 1GB of RAM and a Mobility Radeon X300. Unreal Engine 3 WISHES it was that scalable.
Total Annihilation is unpopular, inasmuch as it's a decade old. How many people still play Quakeworld? I thought so.
Good attempt at reaching for reasons to denigrate three excellent games, though.
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jesusfreakdk 5.22.2007 at 06:43:14 AM
Exactly. Very well said, 60fps. Pixy, I understand what you mean, and I apologize for the inadequate analogy.
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60fps 5.22.2007 at 06:38:35 AM
RTS are all about balance. Mario and others are platformers that don't need anything more than new areas and enemys to jump around.
An RTS depends on having work evenly and just having enough to keep things from being too one-sided or complicated. Just adding more like a platformer would just screw up the balance or over complicate things to a whole different level.
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pixy misao 5.22.2007 at 04:32:00 AM
I don't know about Sonic, but each Mario NES game had it's own feel. Everyone knows the first game, but the second wasn't even a Mario game. Still since Miyamoto's fingerprints were all over it it still felt like a Mario game. The third was one of those sequels that makes the original feel outdated by improving and expanding everything. SMB3 in particular wasn't just a few more levels with different powers... it was the next level. Saying that it was the same old "if it ain't broke" formula is like calling foot long club grinder just another way to eat bread.
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shippoyasha 5.22.2007 at 03:17:58 AM
Yeah. I see some hypocrisy with some of these comments. When Metroid or Zelda or Mario have a few new stages and a slightly different feel while not overhauling the entire game, people are fine with it. Even for some of the more recent games like God of War, Ratchet & Clank and others, people are completely fine with minor improvements.
People just seem to have some inordinate amount of things they expect out of Starcraft it seems. And really, if they can add in all those new skills and new units and have it remain so balanced, that's what I'd be thankful for. Look at all the new RTS games out there and most of them are FAR from being balanced or really competitively viable because they are more experimental than actually feasible and balanced in terms of competition.
+1 karma
morzas 5.21.2007 at 07:51:34 PM
Depressingly true. I personally think
"Age of Empires 2," -- Microsoft
"Total Annihilation," -- Unpopular
"Supreme Commander" -- Bloated
when I think "RTS." -- StarCraft
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jesusfreakdk 5.21.2007 at 05:39:02 AM
I'd say that's the heart of a sequel, wouldn't you say? Take a look at an old series like the original Mario Bros. 1-3 on NES or Sonic 1-3/Knuckles on the Genesis. Sure, they introduced new storylines, bosses, characters, gameplay mechanics, and concepts. But the good ol' sidescrolling adventure action remained the same. "If it ain't broke", right?
I think since we have so little information available to us right now, the changes look very superficial and surface. But I think they'll be introducing a lot of new things--not one huge dramatic graphical overhaul, but rather numerous small details--that will stack up to make a vastly different game. Since the core of an RTS is its strategic gameplay, every little balance tweak will ripple into waves in the metagame.
I'm no RTS buff, but one of the things they talked about, a new physics engine, should be very interesting. Terrain seems to play a larger role in SC2 as there are units that can bypass or take advantage of it. The new specialized units seem to indicate that the strategy of "build unit X to counter unit Y" and so forth will take place on a larger scale, and will further emphasize knowing what the opponent is building and to counter accordingly.
If people want to play a vastly different game, well...there are others out there. WarCraft, Command & Conquer, Rise of Nations, Age of Empires. I think SC2 so far is looking to take the foundation of the original and improve it to its fullest potential while remaining true to its roots.
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questworld 5.21.2007 at 04:54:11 AM
I was initially a little underwhelmed when I saw this. It simply looked too much like the first... albeit in 3D. Even the interface looks the same. I wonder if there'll be more to it, a new race perhaps? There's definitely some new units and, according to what I've read, a few replaced. Should still be good.
Incidentally, I hope Starcraft Ghost gets finished, be it what it looked like before or something new. I'd really like a ground level look at this world and hope the Wii gets something in that respect.
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60fps 5.21.2007 at 01:17:49 AM
Damn, sorry for double posting but are they planning any other announcements at this event or is this all about Starcraft?
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60fps 5.21.2007 at 01:16:38 AM
I always thought it was Warcraft, Command & Conquer and Age of Empires. Maybe because they have the largest franchises and sequels.
Starcraft might be the single most successful though since it's just as strong off of one game though it could also be seen as a branch of Warcraft similar to Age of Mythology to Empires.
Hell, Blizzard has such a tight nit group of games that they can sell off of the Blizzard name alone. I'm still looking for another Lost Vikings and Blackthorne.
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terpfen 5.20.2007 at 02:39:59 PM
"Seriously, when you think RTS, you think StarCraft. If you don't yourself, millions upon millions of others do."
Depressingly true. I personally think "Age of Empires 2," "Total Annihilation," or "Supreme Commander" when I think "RTS."
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bounchfx 5.20.2007 at 12:22:03 PM
I agree with neko - Starcraft is PROVEN, one of the best games EVER made. Halo wars has proven and shown nothing. It's halo universe. ok, cool. Make it good, and people will buy it, but just because it's halo doesn't mean it will be good.
Prove yo'selves, bitches
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squire apparatus 5.20.2007 at 11:58:13 AM
kingbagel- okay, so you're saying it is a coincidence that Starcraft 2 is finally about to drop and the announcement of Halo Wars. Yeah, I really didn't know that they had started working on this 4 years ago. Now I'm interested to see who's going to prefer which game when they're both essentially on the market at the same time.
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nekofrog 5.20.2007 at 11:41:36 AM
This can't have anything to do with Halo Wars because StarCraft is a powerhouse that could crush Halo Wars in the blink of an eye.
Seriously, when you think RTS, you think StarCraft. If you don't yourself, millions upon millions of others do.
Korea alone would be enough to ensure this game is a hit.
+1 karma
kingbagel 5.20.2007 at 10:11:26 AM
"drakken, why couldn't this have something to do with Halo Wars? I'm not dissing Starcraft 2(hell, it's not out yet) or Blizzard, but it's taken them way too long to bring this game out. It just seems like a coincidence that Bungie wants to drop a game that seems to be similar to Starcraft and now Blizzard decides it's time(finally) for Starcraft 2. It just seems a bit odd."
Well, they've been working on it since they finished Frozen Throne four years ago, and the timing of the announcement is nowhere near that of Halo Wars, so it's pretty unlikely.
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60fps 5.20.2007 at 07:21:02 AM
I feel an extra race would just be a third wheel. I like the triangle as it is now. This helps keeps things more balanced. Another race would have maybe diluted the abilities of the races already available.
I forgot all about the Halo RTS. I also just remembered Starcraft 64. I never played it but I remember seeing pics and stuff.
-2 karma
onizuka sensei 5.20.2007 at 06:53:22 AM
Never played Starcraft to be honest. I was too into C&C. I do remember I did love the opening cg movie for the original game.
This was bound to have a sequel eventually, good for all those that wanted it.
My PC won't run this SC2, but if it gets onto 360 (where all the action is these days), I'll gladly invest in it. While surprisingly Blizzard say nothing about this, my guess is it'll be hard for them to ignore Xbox Live. Just a matter of time surely.
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onizuka sensei 5.20.2007 at 06:53:21 AM
Never played Starcraft to be honest. I was too into C&C. I do remember I did love the opening cg movie for the original game.
This was bound to have a sequel eventually, good for all those that wanted it.
My PC won't run this SC2, but if it gets onto 360 (where all the action is these days), I'll gladly invest in it. While surprisingly Blizzard say nothing about this, my guess is it'll be hard for them to ignore Xbox Live. Just a matter of time surely.
-1 karma
squire apparatus 5.20.2007 at 03:21:38 AM
drakken, why couldn't this have something to do with Halo Wars? I'm not dissing Starcraft 2(hell, it's not out yet) or Blizzard, but it's taken them way too long to bring this game out. It just seems like a coincidence that Bungie wants to drop a game that seems to be similar to Starcraft and now Blizzard decides it's time(finally) for Starcraft 2. It just seems a bit odd.
Negative Karma, must have made some kiddies upset mentioning Nintendo and Sony in the same breath.
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jesusfreakdk 5.20.2007 at 02:57:30 AM
"For years (nearly a decade), people have been clamoring for a new race for StarCraft."
Hey, same here. But if you think about it, isn't the point of said race to be superior than the other races? Honestly, I think 3 races is enough to deal with as it is. With the addition of a fourth race I'm sure the game would be delayed even longer and reach absurd levels of complexity. I wouldn't want to see any repeat units from WC3 showing up. Plus, if it is a "hybrid", wouldn't there be certain shared aspects/skills? It wouldn't be original.
There are several missions in WarCraft III that allow you to play as the Naga race. They're not all that unique and only have a few controllable units, but it was a cool addition to the campaign play. That's probably what it'll be.
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christmasgt 5.20.2007 at 02:48:07 AM
The most important thing to me is:
END THE F***ING MAP MAX. It ruins SO many sc games
-1 karma
mechachu 5.20.2007 at 01:58:37 AM
No Diablo? Game over man, game over!
+1 karma
nekofrog 5.20.2007 at 01:51:08 AM
That's the biggest disappointment in all of this news.
For years (nearly a decade), people have been clamoring for a new race for StarCraft.
I can't even begin to count the number of times I've heard people wanting to play as the Zerg/Protoss hybrid, or the master race that genetically engineered both the Zerg and the Protoss.
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shippoyasha 5.20.2007 at 01:46:22 AM
The micro aspect alone the 'huge battle' aspect is what SELLS Starcraft.
It doesn't need much gimmicks outside it, though a new playable race would've been nice. But the three SC races have always been enough since they played so radically different from one another and still had a huge tree of skills and units and buildings. WC3 tried to do some of that, but that game was mostly about leveling up heroes, getting a strike-force and utilizing the fewer number of unique buildings to your advantage.
Also, I don't get the whole "South Korea spurred development" idea since the game was a multi-million seller outside of Korea as well. Hell, it's widely regarded as the most popular RTS of its type in America.
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jesusfreakdk 5.19.2007 at 10:21:49 PM
I think 60fps has a point. Looking back at the jump from WC2 to 3, it looks huge. But why? WC2's two races were hardly different. The names of their units/structures were different, and a couple units had a few different spells--that was it. So of course WC3 added a tremendous amount of new material, with 2 new races, completely different units/structures, and the Hero component.
My first look at SC2 leave me with one impression: micro. Each unit, even the returning ones, seem to have some sort of special ability or move that can be used in combat. It's going to take an ungodly amount of control and strategy to command each unit and use them to their highest potential.
I think WC3 had this in microing the individual Heroes; they had tremendous abilities, but if they were to fall in combat, it was extremely difficult (but not impossible) to win. SC is more geared towards macro, fast expansion and massing units, while WC is more micro. Maybe this new game will find a balance between the two.
-1 karma
60fps 5.19.2007 at 09:27:59 PM
Just about every real-time strategy is in a way a 1.5.
Unless they are horrible the only things needed are cosmetic and gameplay upgrades. Everything else doesn't need to be touched. This just needs new scenarios and story for single player, new units and bases for multiplayer then whatever graphic and sound upgrades for the experience.
What more could be needed for an already great game?
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nekofrog 5.19.2007 at 07:20:45 PM
The more I hear about this, the more it seems like StarCraft 1.5
-2 karma
terpfen 5.19.2007 at 06:31:15 PM
"hmmm, supreme commander is too slow for my taste."
It snowballs. You spend a bit of time establishing your resources, and then you never worry about them again.
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kirin 5.19.2007 at 06:28:25 PM
Simultaneous Mac release? Very nice, Blizzard. Hopefully they'll stick to it.
axle: My understanding was that these days Enix (well, Square-Enix) releases DQ games on the weekend in Japan for that reason.
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axle 5.19.2007 at 04:37:48 PM
South Korea will probably make it illegal to call in sick on SC2's release date. It's illegal in Japan to call in on a Dragon Quest release date :P
I was hoping for an MMO, but this is good too. Here's hoping for a new Diablo as well.
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solar_blitz 5.19.2007 at 03:34:29 PM
I know gamers who swear on consoles but played Starcraft until the cows came home. This was a long time, since there were no cows in the city (MOO!)
I wonder why it took so long for the sequel? Maybe they were waiting to have enough new features and gameplay tweaks to warrant the development of a sequel? Either way, I plan to get it. I don't have much familiarity with RTS games, and this one would be a nice introduction.
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brello 5.19.2007 at 02:30:00 PM
As long as they didn't add heroes (hated them in WCIII...), I'll be looking forward to this. I like your conspiracy theory down there, Squire. That's one horrible case of over-analyzing things.
+2 karma
onyxstraten 5.19.2007 at 01:16:42 PM
I personally hate RTS' and this news has even me excited. Starcraft was the one RTS I could really get into and enjoy, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
+1 karma
morzas 5.19.2007 at 12:37:51 PM
Even if this game isn't as good as SC, I'm still hyped. I mean, all someone would have to do is make a mod that reverts it back to SC and we'd have the best of both worlds -- the old SC with SC2's visuals.
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demoncleaner 5.19.2007 at 12:10:59 PM
I want this so bad... but after I build my Quad-Core PC first.
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pook 5.19.2007 at 10:56:21 AM
never really got into sc, but i know s. korea alone would spark this development.
had they made preliminary announcements about a world of starcraft (which i still think will be their next mmo when wow dies down in a few years) i would've been really excited.
+0 karma
joesteele 5.19.2007 at 09:52:05 AM
"Hell, It's about time."
Yes Blizzard. It most certainly is.
P.S.
kekekekekekekekekekeke :D
-2 karma
sean 5.19.2007 at 07:47:30 AM
I came
-1 karma
i kick tits 5.19.2007 at 07:13:40 AM
...was kinda hoping for an MMO.
+1 karma
cainkid 5.19.2007 at 05:17:33 AM
hmmm, supreme commander is too slow for my taste.
I'll take some SC2 anyday. This'll finally put those C&C boys and their vanishing buildings right in their place! Lets show them what a new age RTS is supposed to be like!
Course, My tune will change when the Company of heroes expansion comes later this year.
-1 karma
terpfen 5.19.2007 at 05:07:09 AM
Yeah, I figured it'd be Starcraft 2. No thanks. Supreme Commander for me, please.
+1 karma
watkinzez 5.19.2007 at 04:45:42 AM
Cool.
I won't be interested for a couple of years, closer to the release date, though.
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dj tempora 5.19.2007 at 04:06:39 AM
"Our maybe I'm just delusional."
Correct.
+3 karma
jekku 5.19.2007 at 04:04:00 AM
>_> Man, I was hoping for a sequel to The Lost Vikings. ... Not expecting. But... hoping.
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drakken 5.19.2007 at 03:50:25 AM
You can't seriously think this has something to do with Halo Wars.
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show comment] -10 karma
I've got to say it: Why are they releasing this now? I mean think about it. Who else has announced a real time futuristic war strategy game? Ahhh yes. I believe it was Bungie and their rumblings about a Halo Wars which looked to me to be a clone of Starcraft. So now Blizzard felt the heat and decided to go ahead and drop this gem out there. I've been wanting a sequel to this for years and I expected one around the time of Warcraft III and didn't get it. So I guess it takes some sort of threat from another company to get the ball rolling. Sort of like when Nintendo pulls the magically delicious DS from nowhere after Sony pulls the PSP from out of its bag of tricks. Next we'll see another handheld from Nintendo as soon as a worthy opponent threatens them again. Our maybe I'm just delusional.
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shippoyasha 5.19.2007 at 03:10:25 AM
Yeah. I'm not too ashamed of myself to call myself a helpless fanboy as far as this game is concerned. It deserves all the praise and hype it gets. ALL of it.
+3 karma
christmasgt 5.19.2007 at 03:08:12 AM
LOL Ironically I was playing starcraft when this was announced. I was expecting a little bit better graphics but I cant really judge on that since they arn't direct feed screenies.
anyway, the units sound cool. that explosive zergling thing better be researced later on because if not there are going to be a shi* load of rushers using it
+3 karma
nekofrog 5.19.2007 at 02:58:27 AM
jesus>
it's later rather than sooner. It's been nearly 10 years since the first game, and most of their other franchises have had a multitude of sequels since then. But StarCraft was left alone, probably because it's still, to this very day, a game that sells well.
All I have to say, as an ardent StarCraft fanboy, they had better not mess this one up. I will cry.
+1 karma
bounchfx 5.19.2007 at 02:43:08 AM
I esploded.
I want to see in game pics... and I still really want Ghost.
Can't wait to see more
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jesusfreakdk 5.19.2007 at 02:20:49 AM
I guess it was bound to be released sooner or later. Possibly one of the most hyped games of the decade...needless to say, it has a lot to live up to. Not only the original, but also WarCraft III, which was an excellent RTS in its own right.
I'm just as excited as anyone else, and it *is* Blizzard, but there's always a chance they could screw things up and make it worse than its predecessor.
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drakken 5.19.2007 at 02:19:16 AM
That's a pretty lame joke. Go read the IGN blog, it sounds like there's a ton of new stuff.
-2 karma
eggmanimn 5.19.2007 at 02:17:14 AM
It's been so many years since I last played SC. You'd think that after all this time, they'd try to reinvent things...
...
HAHAHA sorry I just had to say it.
digg this story!
