A new installment in the StarCraft series is set to debut in 2030, marking a departure from its traditional format with an open-world first-person shooter experience

A person viewed from behind stands facing a large, intricate red and gold robotic exoskeleton in a dimly lit workshop. — Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment

Blizzard Entertainment has revealed a significant change in direction for the next StarCraft game, transitioning to an open-world first-person shooter format.

The announcement was made during the opening of BlizzCon 2026, introducing the franchise's third entry, simply named StarCraft, aimed for a 2030 release. The project is helmed by Dan Hay, Blizzard's general manager and vice president.

In a discussion with IGN, Hay shared the creative process behind the open-world choice: "We wanted to create a scenario where players could engage with the battlefield, explore the world, and discover various aspects unique to the environment."

He further elaborated on the significance of encountering the game's diverse factions within these expansive worlds.

Speaking to Korean outlets, quoted by PC Gamer, Hay mentioned the game's character-driven narrative: "Players will craft a character and follow their story arc from start to finish."

He assured that while players can explore a comprehensive open world, the narrative concludes definitively, akin to a standalone complete game rather than a live service.

The 2030 release marks the first new addition to the StarCraft series since the arrival of StarCraft 2: Legacy of the Void in 2015, with the original game first made available back in 1998.

Blizzard has previously ventured into developing a StarCraft FPS twice before. The initial attempt, known as StarCraft Ghost, was shelved in 2006 after being announced in 2002. A subsequent project, Ares, was also discontinued in 2019 to focus on Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 developments.

BlizzCon 2026 wasn't limited to just StarCraft news. Diablo 5 was slated for a spring 2029 launch, coupled with fresh content for Diablo 4, alongside an upcoming animated series for Diablo on Netflix.

Additionally, the company announced World of Warcraft: Forever, a newly enhanced and expanded version of the classic game featuring three fresh zones, an array of over 1,000 quests, nine new dungeons, two raids, and the introduction of the Skyborne race.

The beta phase for World of Warcraft: Forever is planned for September 17, ahead of the full launch on November 4.