Overwatch 3 and StarCraft 3 rumoured after Blizzard signs new development deal
Blizzard is apparently planning new sequels for Overwatch and StarCraft but the rumours suggest they won't be making both of them themselves.
Blizzard is apparently planning new sequels for Overwatch and StarCraft but the rumours suggest they won’t be making both of them themselves.
Back before the global rise of eSports, professional StarCraft tournaments were a big deal in South Korea, with mainstream television coverage and a competitive scene that persists to today, despite the lack of any new games since StarCraft 2’s launch in 2010.
There was a remaster of the first game in 2017, but a recent report claims that Activision Blizzard is finally looking into making a new game, through a partnership with, appropriately enough, a South Korean studio.
This partnership will also involve the creation of a new Overwatch – one that’s apparently labelled as Overwatch 3 internally – although before you get too excited, that one’s said to be a mobile game.
The report comes from South Korean outlet MTN, which says Blizzard Entertainment has been shopping round for a collaboration in the region ‘since the fourth quarter of last year.’
Blizzard was offering ‘content development rights’ for StarCraft as well as the rights to publish an Overwatch mobile game in South Korea and Japan. Given how big StarCraft is in South Korea, it’s no surprise that multiple studios leapt at the opportunity.
Ultimately, Blizzard has selected Nexon, known for hugely lucrative online and mobile franchises such as MapleStory and Dungeon Fighter Online, as well as online multiplayer shooter The Finals.
It’s also the South Korean and Japanese publisher for EA Sports FC Mobile and has a number of other mobile games under its belt. It’s no stranger to premium game releases though, having recently launched Soulslike The First Berserker: Khazan for PC and consoles.
There’s no telling what form the new StarCraft game could take at this point, although you have to imagine it will be a traditional real-time strategy game akin to previous entries – likely with a strong emphasis on multiplayer.
That’s what’s popular in South Korea, but last year it was claimed that a StarCraft shooter is in the works at Blizzard. Although given the company’s history, it’s entirely possible the project’s been cancelled.
It’s unclear what formats the new StarCraft game might be for, but apart from a N64 version of the first game it’s traditionally been PC only. Given Nexon’s experience though, a mobile version would not be a surprise.
The new Overwatch is definitely a mobile title, according to the rumours, but the fact that it’s supposedly dubbed Overwatch 3 suggests it’s not just a mobile port of Overwatch 2, but its own game.
Although the report is vague, the implication is that Blizzard will make it and that Nexon will get the Korean and Japanese publishing rights, as part of a package deal with the StarCraft development deal.
After the whole debacle with Overwatch 2’s launch, announcing another sequel probably wouldn’t go down well with fans (Activision)Email [email protected], leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter.
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