Every StarCraft fan has looked at World of Warcraft and wondered: When will my favorite franchise from Blizzard finally get an MMORPG? With a bit of luck, this wishful thinking could become a reality in a few years.
Why could there be a StarCraft MMORPG now? According to an article by AsiaToday, several Korean development studios and publishers are currently in contact with Blizzard: NCSoft, Krafton, Netmarble, and Nexon.
As reported by AsiaToday, the four companies want to create a new game in the StarCraft universe and are currently pitching ideas to the father of the most famous MMORPG in the world. Allegedly, games of various genres, including role-playing games and shooters, are under discussion.
NCSoft is known as the developer and publisher of various MMORPGs like Lineage and the soon-to-be-released Throne and Liberty in 2024. This opens up the possibility for an MMORPG in the StarCraft universe.
Companies with MMO Experience
Who are the four developers? The four companies are well-known names in the gaming industry and have released and sometimes developed games like MapleStory, Guild Wars, or PUBG. Among them are several MMORPGs:
- NCSoft is the publisher and developer of successful MMOs like Guild Wars, the Lineage series, Blade & Soul, and Throne and Liberty.
- Krafton is primarily known as the publisher of the battle royale shooter PUBG but has recently also created a direct competitor to The Sims with InZOI.
- Netmarble has focused on mobile games, including well-known brands like Star Wars and Marvel or a mobile spin-off of NCSoft’s MMORPG Lineage 2. Recently, Netmarble released a game set in the Game of Thrones universe.
- Nexon developed the MMORPG classic MapleStory. Dungeon Fighter Online is also from the studio and remains one of the largest MMORPGs of all time. Most recently, Nexon released the looter-shooter The First Descendant.
What did the four developers present to Blizzard? According to the AsiaToday article, the developers have different ideas about the future of StarCraft and some have even traveled directly to Blizzard in California to present their ideas.
- The MMORPG specialists at NCSoft are considered the most likely choice when it comes to a role-playing game in the StarCraft universe.
- Krafton wants to create something that aligns with their development capabilities.
- According to AsiaToday, Netmarble wants to combine StarCraft and mobile gaming.
- It was only mentioned about Nexon that they have a unique vision for the franchise.
As mentioned at the beginning, all of this is just the developers’ envisioned ideas. What exactly becomes of the StarCraft franchise ultimately lies with Blizzard.
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