Blizzard announced that StarCraft: Remastered, an updated version of its 1998 sci-fi strategy hit, will debut on PC and Mac on August 14 with a $15 price tag. The release will include graphically overhauled versions of StarCraft and The Brood War expansion as well as new online features.
It's hard to overstate how influential StarCraft was when it debuted. The game spawned a huge esports scene, especially in South Korea, and was successful enough to warrant a sequel that was released 12 years later. StarCraft: Remastered is Blizzard's attempt to celebrate (and cash in on) the StarCraft legacy. Now you'll be able to fight the Protoss, Zerg, and Terrans in a modern package with improved graphics and sound design.
Blizzard said as much when it announced StarCraft: Remastered's release date and price:
“Nearly 20 years ago, StarCraft welcomed millions of gamers to an epic sci-fi universe—and also helped form the foundation for esports as we know it today,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Passionate gamers around the world are still playing Brood War, both with friends and competitively, so we're modernizing the technology behind StarCraft so that they can continue to enjoy the game for many years to come.”
Blizzard said that StarCraft: Remastered will feature widescreen UHD support for up to 4K resolution. If those snazzy new visuals get in the way of your nostalgia, though, you can "switch between Remastered and the original StarCraft with the click of a button!" That's a nice touch even if StarCraft: Remastered will be your first StarCraft --it's always interesting to see what games were like before they were spit-shined and re-released.
Either way, StarCraft: Remastered is more than just a gussied up port of StarCraft and The Brood War. Blizzard said the remaster will also feature "new matchmaking and leaderboards," "player profiles that track individual statistics," and "cloud saving for campaign progress, hotkeys, and replays." Those additions could help foster a community for a remastered version of decades-old game that could easily be dismissed as a novelty.
You can pre-order StarCraft: Remastered now from the online service formerly known as Battle.net. Doing so will net you three exclusive building skins: the Char Hive, the Korhal Command Center, and the Aiur Nexus. Purchasing StarCraft: Remastered will also grant you in-game items for StarCraft II, including a new co-op commander and three unique portraits. Blizzard said the game will be "fully localized" into "English, Brazilian Portuguese, European and Latin American Spanish, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and simplified and traditional Chinese."
| Name | StarCraft: Remastered |
|---|---|
| Type | Real-Time Strategy |
| Developer | Blizzard Entertainment |
| Publisher | Blizzard Entertainment |
| Platforms | PC, Mac |
| Where To Buy | Blizzard |
| Release Date | August 14, 2017 |