In a recent podcast, our Executive Editor at Windows Central and my colleague Jez Corden spoke about the rumored StarCraft shooter currently in development.

According to Jez, the project may already be assembling a strong team. This includes former The Initiative design director Drew Murray, who is now working at Blizzard as of January 2026, according to his own LinkedIn.

With that in mind, let’s go over what was said and add some context around Murray’s background.

For those not in the know, Drew Murray has a rather lengthy portfolio behind him, from serving as a design director at The Initiative, Xbox’s now closed studio that was working on Perfect Dark, to later moving to Insomniac Games, where he became a design director on Spider-Man 2 and an unannounced project.

He has since taken on a new role as an associate design director at Blizzard Entertainment, and thanks to comments from Jez, we now know a little bit more about what his role there might entail.

In a recent episode of Jez and Rand’s XB2 podcast, Jez detailed that Drew Murray had joined Blizzard Entertainment back in January of this year, and may be working on the elusive StarCraft shooter currently in development. During the podcast, Jez states:

Jez further elaborates, saying:

“Since January 2026, he’s been an associate design director at Blizzard Entertainment, and I’ve heard that he’s working on the StarCraft shooter. Don’t know if it’s true or if he’s working on something else, but he is at Blizzard and I have heard he’s working on that.”

Well, there you have it, that’s all we know for now. While the project has reportedly been in development for at least over two years, we don't really know much else and we’ll likely still be waiting a while before Blizzard is ready to show anything.

Let me know your thoughts on Drew Murray potentially working on the StarCraft shooter, and whether you even care about a StarCraft shooter at all. And as always, make sure to take part in our poll!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Storied game developer Blizzard Entertainment hasn't officially announced the next game it's working on after 2023's action RPG Diablo 4, but it's been long-rumored to be a new entry in its dormant dark sci-fi series StarCraft. Thus far, every installment of the franchise has been a real-time strategy (RTS) title, but this new game has been said to be a shooter — something a new job listing at the studio supports.

Indeed, Blizzard is hiring a lead designer for "an upcoming AAA open-world shooter," which sounds like it could very well be the StarCraft FPS we've occasionally heard about in recent years. The listing reveals little else about the game, though it does say the developer is seeking someone with "Proven experience working with the Unreal Engine," suggesting the game will utilize it.

Rumors of a new StarCraft entry in the shooter genre first came in 2024, with Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reporting that following layoffs at Blizzard that came after it was acquired by Microsoft for Xbox, remaining devs that had worked on the studio's canceled survival game were "incubating" a StarCraft FPS under the leadership of Far Cry developer Dan Hay.

Blizzard then put out a job listing for an engineer with a specialization in vehicle simulation earlier this year, leading many to speculate that there are plans for gameplay with vehicles like Siege Tanks in this unannounced StarCraft FPS. At the same time, it was also reported Blizzard is partnering with Nexon of The First Descendent and ARC Raiders fame to make the game.

While Blizzard hasn't yet confirmed there's a new StarCraft FPS on the way, this new job listing is a pretty huge piece of evidence that there is, and does confirm that the studio is, at the very least, working on a new shooter game. And while an FPS may disappoint some who are particularly passionate about the franchise's RTS roots, the prospect of a new entry in the series is nevertheless exciting for many.

The 2017 remaster of the original game aside, there hasn't been a new StarCraft installment since 2010's StarCraft 2, released 16 years ago. Therefore, any new game in the series is likely to please its fans, many of which have worried that Blizzard will never return to it.

With that said, though, there's valid reason to be concerned about this new FPS, and whether or not it will actually end up seeing the light of day. Over the years, Blizzard has canceled several planned or work-in-progress StarCraft projects, including the shooter games Ghost and Ares. Because of this, there are fears the developer will end up axing this one, too.

For now, all we can do is wait and see what time brings, though the fact Blizzard is hiring for this new open-world shooter has given fans hope that the rumored StarCraft FPS is still alive and well. And hey, BlizzCon 2026 marketing features StarCraft pretty prominently...

If and when it does eventually come out, it will likely be available to play on Xbox and PC, and potentially on PlayStation as well. As a first-party Xbox title, it would also be accessible through Xbox Game Pass.

🗨️ Would you play a StarCraft FPS?

Blizzard bringing back its dormant sci-fi RTS franchise StarCraft with an FPS game would be quite an event, and would no doubt revitalize the property after years and years of nothing new for its fans to enjoy.

If we do end up getting a StarCraft shooter game, will you play it? Let me know how you feel about the concept in the comments, and vote in our poll.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

It's been over a decade since we've seen a new game made for StarCraft, Blizzard Entertainment's legendary series that revolutionized the real-time strategy genre while wowing audiences with its dark, cinematic, sci-fi stories.

However, rumors have recently appeared on X implying that the series' long dormancy is about to end. According to @KoreaXboxnews on X, a news article on www.dnews.co.kr reports that Nexon is apparently working on a new game with the StarCraft IP.

@KoreaXboxnews translates and sums up the report by saying Nexon signed a content development cooperation agreement with Blizzard Entertainment in 2025.

Additionally, Nexon has started on the project with a dedicated team that includes Choi Junho, a man who created a popular StarCraft custom map called "Temple Siege", acting as the lead planner.

For those unaware, Nexon is a South Korean-based developer whose major works include the free-to-playPvE shooter The First Descendant and the free-to-play PvP FPS Sudden Attack.

Nexon is also a publisher that's helped publish a couple of 2025's unexpected breakout hits like The First Berserker: Khazan and Arc Raiders.

Nexon's body of work regarding shooters is important to note, as allegedly, this new StarCraft game Nexon is working on will be made under Nexon's Shooter Division, which also works on Sudden Attack.

This implies that this new StarCraft game will be a first-person or third-person shooter if this rumor turns out to be true.

Indeed, we just learned that Blizzard may be hiring vehicle engineers for the new StarCraft game, which opens all sorts of possibilities.

However, Nexon has officially declined to confirm these rumors, stating that it "cannot comment" on what the project they're working on with Blizzard Entertainment is at this time.

A new Warcraft Expansion, Overwatch gets overhauled, and now StarCraft is potentially coming back? Blizzcon 2026 cannot get here fast enough.

Blizzard Entertainment has been busy as of late updating its flagship franchises.

World of Warcraft is finally getting Player Housing after decades of requests in the upcoming World of Warcraft: Midnight expansion.

Diablo 4 is gearing up for a new Lord of Hatred expansion, which will add two classes, overhauled endgame systems, a climactic finale to the Age of Hatred Saga, and much more.

Plus, Overwatch is being completely overhauled by dropping the "2" from its branding, restructuring its season system, and adding 5 heroes at once. This announcement was so big that it caused Overwatch to resurge in popularity to the point where it's overtaken Call of Duty and Battlefield 6's playerbase on Steam.

If the rumors of a new StarCraft game by Nexon in the works turn out to be true and if all these aforementioned expansions/overhauls are pulled off well, then 2026 will end up being an epic comeback for the iconic studio.

Of course, rumors should always be taken with a grain (especially when Nexon declined to confirm said rumors), and it's best to wait until we hear official confirmation or denial from Blizzard Entertainment.

Stay tuned for further updates regarding Blizzard Entertainment's franchise as we inch closer to BlizzCon 2026 this September 12, 2026.

Do you think the rumors of Nexon making a new StarCraft are true? Would you like to see this new StarCraft game be a shooter or a real-time strategy game like previous titles?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, let us know in the comments below.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The StarCraft FPS is my most anticipated game that doesn't officially exist.

StarCraft is one of Blizzard's pillar franchises, sitting next to Overwatch, Diablo, and Warcraft as one of its most cherished universes. It's also arguably its most neglected.

StarCraft hasn't seen a truly new entry in over a decade, with StarCraft II's final expansion dropping in 2015. StarCraft 1 did get a remaster in 2017, but since then, it's largely been radio silence.

StarCraft is one of the most legendary and beloved real time strategy games in history, although it's no secret that RTS as a genre has fallen into obscurity in recent years. Microsoft is one of the few big publishers still servicing the genre, with its similarly legendary Age of Empires franchise. StarCraft always felt like it had potential to move beyond RTS, though. And by all accounts, it is.

Reported upon first by Bloomberg, Blizzard is working on a StarCraft shooter of sorts, rumored to be led by Far Cry alumni Dan Hay. I can confirm via my own sources that it's true as if there were any reason to doubt it, but 2026 is particularly exciting for fresh StarCraft shooter rumors.

A friend reached out and showed me this job listing on Blizzard's website recently, which suggests that, quite possibly, the StarCraft shooter will have vehicular gameplay. StarCraft of course has heaps of vehicles in its RTS format, but we can infer sandbox style gameplay potentially here. Areas would need to be large enough to accommodate vehicle gameplay, if this job listing for an "unannounced game" is indeed StarCraft-related.

"We are looking for a Software Engineer – Gameplay Physics," the listing reads, "to help craft a new, unannounced game for Blizzard. As a key member of the development team, you will be responsible for delivering high-quality, physics-driven gameplay systems that support vehicle simulation, traversal, and combat experiences."

It's not a ton to go on so far, but if the StarCraft shooter does have vehicles, it sounds to me like it could be far bigger in scope than something like a Gears of War or Warhammer 40K: Space Marine.

Blizzard these days focuses mostly on service-type games, with Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo as the tip of the trident, so to speak. StarCraft's RTS days might be behind it, thanks to shifting gameplay habits from players at large, but the franchise always had potential to move beyond simply being an RTS.

RELATED: Top 5 wishes for Blizzcon 2026

StarCraft was already being worked into a shooter, as part of its notorious Ghost project that was sadly cancelled. In 2026, there are a lot of examples StarCraft could look to emulate. Helldivers 2 is an obvious PvE shooter StarCraft could riff on, letting players take on the role of Terran marines battling persistent Zerg and Protos threats. Perhaps it could even have a PvP angle, letting players play as Protos and Zerg too, combating Terran players and each other.

It could take on a Destiny-style gameplay format too, with a more traditional campaign structure atop repeatable dungeoneering gameplay and build crafting. Perhaps it might meet it half way, with a separate co-op campaign a la Space Marine 2, with PvE missions as an additional mode.

As long as I can play as a Firebat, I'm good with any.

Given that Blizzard's marketing materials for Blizzcon 2026 feature StarCraft quite prominently, it might only be a few months before we find out what this mysterious StarCraft shooter actually looks like.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Blizzard Entertainment has given the world some of the most beloved franchises in gaming history, from Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and StarCraft, to name a few. As cool as its games have been, there are certain things I've always wished Blizzard would do with its franchises, but never did, as it clearly had a different direction in mind.

These wishes range from wanting certain franchises to make a glorious comeback after being dormant for so long, or a special spin-off game that explores universes that its most famous games couldn't.

With Blizzard's 35th anniversary this year, it's time I made my wishlist of things I want to see from it in the future. They may be pipedreams, but in an unpredictable post-2020 world, anything feels possible in my eyes.

A single-player, story-focused spin-off of Overwatch

During the mid-2010s, I was a fan of Blizzard's Hero Shooter Overwatch. It felt like what would happen if you took Street Fighter and turned it into a competitive multiplayer FPS with its fast-paced gunplay, charming characters, colorful superhero setting, and engaging lore.

However, as the years rolled by, I got tired of the competitive shooter gameplay and preferred watching cinematic shorts and Character Origin vignettes as I became more invested in the game's universe and characters.

For years, I wished that this game had a dedicated story mode that explored Overwatch's universe in greater detail because the limited-time PvE horde mode events and tie-in comic books weren't enough to satisfy my hunger for lore.

So you can imagine my excitement and crushing disappointment when Overwatch 2 was going to have a PvE Hero Mode, only for Blizzard to cancel it and instead focus on PvP content and collaboration cosmetics.

As a result, this completely turned me off from Overwatch 2. I wanted to engage in epic, dramatic stories involving Tracer, Winston, Genji, Reaper, Widowmaker, and all the other fun characters with engaging character arcs.

I didn't want to get into constant non-canon fights in small arenas and duke it out with other players dressing up as Optimus Prime from Transformers or Saitama from One Punch Man.

So instead of adding a PvE mode into the main PvP Overwatch game, I want Blizzard to make a spin-off of Overwatch that explores its characters and universe in an interactive manner similar to story-heavy CRPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 or Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, complete with tactical turn-based combat.

Heck, I would even take a cinematic movie game like 2025's last-minute hit, Dispatch, as Overwatch's beloved characters deserve to have their full stories told in an interactive manner rather than serve as avatars for esports competitions and crossover skins.

New Classes and race/class combos for World of Warcraft

Over the past two years, I have finally become a fan of World of Warcraft after avoiding it for decades, thanks to its awesome Remix event, years' worth of content updates, and being made a member of the kindest guilds in the game.

I enjoyed my time with The War Within expansion, and I'm looking forward to continuing the World Soul saga with World of Warcraft: Midnight to experience its awesome new features like Player Housing, The Hunt, the Devourer Demon Hunter spec, and more.

Although there are some things I would see Blizzard add to the game to make it even better, namely, new classes and strange race/class combinations.

The first new class I want would be a class similar to the Machinist Job from Final Fantasy XIV.

This class (which my fellow guildmates have nicknamed the Tinkerer class) would specialize in using guns, gadgets, and summoning giant mechs into battle to lay waste to enemies.

You could have a DPS spec revolving around blasting enemies with guns, lasers, and bombs, a Healer spec where you use mechanical arms and gadgets to heal and buff allies, and a tank where you ride a tank or a Hulkbuster-inspired mech suit to take the brunt of enemy attacks for your team.

Plus, having a Class specializing in mechanics would give races like the Goblins and even Gnomes a chance to shine, as they feature some of the craziest tech in all of Warcraft's universe.

Imagine piloting a Goblin Shredder mech/tank or the various battle tanks of Mechagon into a battle against Raid bosses instead of simply using them for transportation for once?

You can even give Mechagnomes special cosmetic appearances for the Tinkerer Class' abilities, where instead of pulling out gadgets and weapons, the Mechagnomes would transform their bodies into said gizmos and weapons.

In fact, when running the Tank Spec, instead of riding mechs, you can give Mechagnome Tinkerers the ability to combine their bodies with their tools to become a giant robot inspired by Mimiron, one of the most famous Raid bosses in WoW history.

I know I would play as a Mechagnome Tinkerer if it could let me play as a giant robot firing rockets and flamethrowers everywhere to give Mimiron a taste of its own medicine.

The second new class I would like to see in World of Warcraft would be a Bard class inspired by Warcraft's iconic virtual band, the Elite Tauren Chieftain. They would support allies with melodies while bringing pandemonium to enemies with rock solos.

The Bard wouldn't be just restricted to using a stereotypical harp; they would play all kinds of instruments like a one-man band that unleashes all kinds of effects depending on the type of instrument and song you perform.

A Bard's DPS spec where they shred electric guitars that would unleash lightning bolts or deafening AOE soundwaves.

They could also have a Healer spec that passively granted health regeneration with soothing melodies performed with synthwave keytars or provide damage buffs by singing emotional power ballads from the 1980s.

Finally, they could have a Tank spec where the Bard would whip a drum kit to draw the ire of enemies with drum beats before busting out intense drum solos that cause earthquakes to rock enemies off their feet.

As for race/class combinations, I would like to see the new Dracthyr race become Death Knights because the idea of playing as undead frost dragons sounds really cool.

Granted, I'm not sure how you would make the Dracthyr into Death Knights, considering there's no more Lich King, and I don't know what The Ebon Blade's stance on Dracthyr is, but I'm hopeful it can be done.

Another strange race/class combo I would like to see would be Goblin Paladins. After all, if Goblins can cheat their way into becoming Shamans by using technology to steal elemental energy, why can't they do the same with the power of light?

Plus, the idea of Goblins being Paladins would be hilarious because, being righteous warriors of justice, Goblin Paladins could be glorified, heavily-armored tax collectors that would hunt down poor sabs who couldn't pay their debts to the cartels of Undermine.

A new Warcraft strategy game

Speaking of Warcraft, I know this is an impossibility, but I would see Blizzard make a newWarcraft strategy game like the iconic Warcraft RTS trilogy, and I say this as someone who sucks at RTS games.

Warcraft 3 was how I was introduced to the Warcraft universe, and I still have fond memories building armies to take down enemy forces and its epic single-player campaigns that introduced the world to fan-favorite characters like Thrall, Arthas, Illidan, Jaina, and more.

Granted, it's impossible at this point to have a new Warcraft RTS carry on the story of Warcraft's universe, as that's mainly done by World of Warcraft (and various lore compendia), so if a new game were made, it would have to be a spin-off story with a new setting and characters.

But I wouldn't mind that so long as I get to build an army of Orcs, Trolls, and Tauren again while blitzing my enemies after activating the Bloodlust ability and screaming "FOR THE HORDE!", because I miss being in command of the Horde rather than being commanded by it.

A new Starcraft game

Aside from Warcraft 3, another Blizzard RTS I often played in my childhood was StarCraft.

This revolutionary real-time strategy game wowed players back in the 1990s for its fast-paced gameplay, cinematic single-player campaigns, engaging playable factions, and intense competitive PVP modes, which are still being played to this day.

StarCraft made a cool comeback in the 2010s with StarCraft 2, but has gone silent since StarCraft 2's last update in 2017, which made its multiplayer, co-op, and first singleplayer campaign free-to-play.

I, like most 1990s/2000s-era Blizzard fans, would like to see StarCraft make another return, as I missed blasting enemies to smithereens as Terrans, striking from the shadows as the Protoss, and overwhelming enemies as the ravenous Zerg.

If the reported rumors surrounding StarCraft headlining Blizzcon 2026 and getting a third-person shooter spin-off turn out to be true, then I wouldn't mind that either.

After all, games like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marines 2 have proven there's still a place in modern gaming for successful power fantasy action games where you play as hardened Space Marines.

Being able to play Diablo 4 offline

One last thing I would like to see from Blizzard in the future is giving Diablo 4 an offline mode.

Out of Blizzard's most famous franchises, the one I've played the least is Diablo, mainly due to a lack of interest when I was younger, and preferring more colorful and over-the-top loot-grind action games like Borderlands and Monster Hunter.

I tried giving Diablo 4 a chance after hearing my colleague, Jez Corden, praise it with a 5/5 star review in 2023. But I couldn't enjoy it due to laggy servers being unplayable, my bad luck with poor internet connections, and none of the Classes appealed to me at launch.

However, 2026 may be the year I give Diablo 4 a second chance, thanks to the addition of its new Paladin Class (which looks way cooler than all the other classes in my opinion), internet servers being vastly improved since launch, and my home has been upgraded with better internet service providers, so I rarely experience internet lag anymore.

That being said, I would still like it if Diablo 4 had an offline mode to experience the main story campaign. With an offline mode, I can play the game without having to worry about server lag on the rare occasions that my internet provider experiences an outage.

I know that Diablo 3 eventually had an offline mode at the end of its lifecycle, so why can't Diablo 4 be the same?

Although I'd prefer not having to wait until development on Diablo 4 is completely finished before offline mode gets added, as I might turn 40 by the time that happens, and I'd be playing other games.

Here's to 35 more years of Blizzard Entertainment

Through all its ups and downs, I'll still enjoy Blizzard Entertainment's games and will continue to do so for a long time with my friends and family.

So, I can't wait to see what Blizzard has in store for its franchises when BlizzCon finally returns after a 3-year hiatus on September 12, 2026.

What things do you want from Blizzard Entertainment in the future? Do you think their games are fine as they are, or are there some changes or new gameplay aspects you would like to see added to them?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, let us know in the comments below.

Blizzard Entertainment president Johanna Faries wants the game developer to put out a couple of big launches every year, while focusing on its existing roster of franchises.

That's according to an interview with Bloomberg, where Faries discussed the studio's work under Xbox and how planning is happening for the next few years. Faries stepped into her role in January 2024, joining from the Activision side of Activision Blizzard King, where she formerly managed the Call of Duty franchise.

Faries notes that she is thinking in "five-year terms," and that she wants Blizzard to continue expanding its lineup of games across established worlds.

"We have iconic IP and in many ways it still has a lot of room to scale, so let’s focus in on the cards we have to play. It doesn’t mean we won’t go into new places and territories, but for right now, let’s home in on all the iconic stature that we have in the tank for Blizzard," she says. "That’s number one."

Faries also wants the teams to have a "reliable cadences of launches" that can see Blizzard putting out a big launch or two every year.

"Our fans are hungry. They want to get involved. They want to feel reliability as well. They want us have a sense of what’s right around the corner. Let’s look at it as a portfolio, and let’s make sure that every — let’s say calendar year — there are at least one to two really big things that Blizzard is pumping out."

When asked about the 30% margin that is reportedly being imposed on Xbox by Microsoft, Faries doesn't give specific details, but notes that while Blizzard is being held to high standards, she considers it a credit to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and president of game content and studios Matt Booty.

"They want to see Blizzard thrive, and I think they trust in the talent that we have here to be able to write our future," she says. "I think we have our house very in order. I feel very confident about what’s coming up."

Blizzard already has two big launches set for the first half of 2026

Looking ahead, Blizzard already seems set with two big launches coming fairly early next year. World of Warcraft: Midnight is set to arrive on March 2, 2026.

Meanwhile, Diablo 4 is getting its second expansion with the launch of Lord of Hatred on April 28, 2026, bringing new story and two new classes, including the Paladin, which is available now for anyone that preorders the expansion.

I'm curious what the teams have further down the line, as it seems unlikely that new expansions will be ready for Diablo 4 and World of Warcraft in 2027. Might we see Blizzard launch some entirely new games?

Do you think Blizzard can actually hit that pace without sacrificing quality, or is this just corporate optimism talking? Drop your thoughts below and hit our poll — what do you want Blizzard’s new release era to look like?

At long last, StarCraft is back!

...Well, kind of.

Blizzard Entertainment's (and Xbox's, also, after Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard) classic beloved sci-fi real-time-strategy (RTS) franchise has made a big splash in Diablo 4, the developer's 2023 dark fantasy action RPG. It's come in the form of several themed crossover cosmetics, including eight skin bundles, three weapon skins, and three profile banners available from the in-game shop.

The primary unlocks on offer include The Queen of Blades bundle for the Spiritborn class, The Heaven's Devil set for Druid, The Overqueen of the Swarm Necromancer skin, The Dark Prelate skin for Rogue, The High Templar cosmetic for Sorcerer, The Rebel Marshal skin for Barbarian, a Foe to Friend pet bundle, and the Zergling Rush mount (in reference to the famous early-game StarCraft strategy of the same name).

Additionally, there are also three free weapon skins — what appears to be a wand, a polearm, and a crossbow — as well as three profile emblems said to be an "instant unlock in Shop," with one of each coming out on September 26 (today), 27, and 28, respectively.

All of these cosmetics were shown off in a new trailer you can watch via the embed below, or with this link.

Assuming the aforementioned skin bundles are priced like previous cosmetic releases have been, they will each cost 2,800 Platinum — Diablo 4's premium currency. This translates to a price of $25 for each individual purchase. The game's Shop costs have proven controversial since it launched two and a half years ago, but despite this, they haven't changed much; I don't expect them to, as a result.

Note that these skins will only be available in the Shop for a limited time; the fine print at the end of the above trailer confirms that they'll be going away once the recently started Diablo 4 Season 10 (AKA, the Season of Infernal Chaos) ends, which is expected to happen in December. It also states, however, that the "items may be available in the Store at a later date," suggesting they could come back.

Another thing to know is that you'll need to own Diablo 4's Vessel of Hatred expansion in order to purchase the Spiritborn cosmetic bundle, as the Spiritborn class itself requires owning that DLC.

Overall, all of these skins are certainly cool to see if you're a fan of Blizzard's RTS franchise, but for many, they're undeniably bittersweet since StarCraft itself hasn't had a full new game since 2010's StarCraft 2. The series' last piece of original content came with that game's Nova Covert Ops mission pack nearly 10 years ago in 2016, only followed by a remaster of the original StarCraft in 2017.

Multiple spinoff titles for the franchise have been cancelled over the years for various reasons, though Blizzard is reportedly once again working on a shooter set in the series' universe. Whether or not it ever develops and actually gets a release, however, remains to be seen.

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Diablo 4 itself has gone through plenty of peaks and valleys over the course of its life cycle, though at the moment, it seems to be in a good spot. Fans have been quick to point out that its player base has climbed higher than it's been in quite a long time after the launch of Season 10, with many praising it for its depth of gameplay content.

Personally, I haven't jumped into the ARPG in a very long time, and with both Helldivers 2 and FFXIV eating up most of my time (Battlefield 6 and ARC Raiders are coming in hot, soon, as well), StarCraft skins and one good season aren't enough to pull me back. With that said, I'm glad the game and its fanbase is enjoying a high period right now.

The game is available across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC (Steam, Battle.net), PS5, and PS4 for an MSRP of $49.99. On Xbox and PC, it's playable through Xbox Game Pass, and has a free-to-play period until October 2 on Steam as well. At the moment, though, it's on sale across most of its platforms, with Steam offering the best price at $22.49.

Age of Empires 2 is one of my all-time favorite games, and I know I'm not the only one who loves getting a look behind the scenes of its development at Microsoft's defunct Ensemble Studios.

The original title, Age of Kings, launched in 1999 and was followed quickly by the Age of Conquerors expansion in 2000.

Sandy Petersen was a lead designer and developer at Ensemble from 1997 until it closed shop in 2009, and he played a key role in designing Age of Empires.

More than 25 years later, Petersen shared some interesting tidbits on X regarding the Conquerors expansion and the massive influence Korea, at the time, had on the gaming world due to the popularity of StarCraft.

Peterson says he chose the "conquerors" theme, which made it easier to select four civilizations to add to the base game: the Spanish, Aztecs, Huns, and Mayans.

Ahead of schedule by about five weeks in January 2000 — roughly eight months before the official Conquerors expansion launch — Petersen received a call from Microsoft.

The four civilizations planned for Age of Conquerors were about to get an addition at the behest of Microsoft.

StarCraft, developed by Blizzard Entertainment and launched in 1998, was at that time seeing massive success in Korea.

It'd sold 3 million copies in Korea alone, and Microsoft wanted to get in on the action.

As Petersen puts it, he told Microsoft:

"Koreans, greatly to their credit, were not conquerors. They stayed in their lane. While they're cool, they don't fit the Conquerors theme. Starcraft doesn't have any Koreans in it, so those sales had zero to do with a Korean civ."

Petersen's arguments against the addition of a Korean civ for a game focusing on conquerors were valid. But Microsoft wouldn't budge.

This last-minute addition, of course, sent the Ensemble team into a scramble to add an entire civ in about five weeks.

I give Petersen's team credit for creating a Korean civ for Age of Empires II that is still fun to play to this day.

👉 Related: Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition review

However, Petersen points out three mistakes that Ensemble made during the rushed development of a Korean civ.

The unique Turtle Ship unit had artwork that wasn't appreciated by Koreans despite Ensemble's use of a "legitimate source."

The Sea of Japan, which isn't called the Sea of Japan in Korea, understandably ruffled some feathers, and the mention of a Japanese invasion of Korea in the late 16th century allegedly caused a Microsoft rep in Korea to be "arrested and detained for awhile."

Petersen wraps up the X thread by pointing out that Age of Empires 2 never ended up selling three million copies in Korea, no doubt because StarCraft still hadn't gone anywhere.

Where is StarCraft today?

Age of Empires and its Definitive Edition remaster are still going strong, pulling in more than 21,000 players on Steam alone in the last 24 hours.

The indirect sequel, Age of Empires 4, launched in 2021 and is still receiving updates and new content.

Heck, even Age of Mythology recently received a quality remake at the hands of Microsoft and its studios.

So what's happening with StarCraft? I played the first game quite a bit when I was younger (when I wasn't playing AoE 2) but never touched StarCraft 2.

While both StarCraft games have a dedicated fan base, it's been too long since we've had anything new from the IP.

Blizzard is now owned by Microsoft, and it makes sense that the company would want to continue to produce games under the StarCraft banner.

There are rumors that a StarCraft shooter is planned, but so far nothing concrete has come out.

I have no idea if we'll ever see some sort of StarCraft 3 in the future, but I'm sure the idea hasn't been dismissed.

Real-time strategy (RTS) games haven't seen the same level of popularity in recent years as they once did, but there are still a lot of us out there searching for the next big title.

What you need to know

• Speaking with IGN about his upcoming book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment, Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier revealed that Blizzard Entertainment is in the early stages of working on a StarCraft shooter. 
• The small team is working on the project under the leadership of Dan Hay, a developer who previously worked on Ubisoft's Far Cry franchise. 
• Blizzard Entertainment has attempted to craft a StarCraft shooter twice in the past, with both attempts ending up being canceled. 

Maybe the third time's the charm. 

That certainly appears to be the thinking of a small team at Blizzard Entertainment that is reportedly working on a StarCraft shooter. This news comes via Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, who spoke with IGN's Podcast Unlocked about his upcoming book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. 

As covered in his book, Schreier explained that after the cancelation of Blizzard's survival game following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, most of that team was laid off. A handful remained, and are "incubating" a StarCraft shooter under the leadership of Dan Hay, a veteran developer who previously worked on Ubisoft's Far Cry franchise.  

Schreier notes in the conversation with IGN that it's very early days on this project, and Blizzard has already canceled two attempted StarCraft shooters in the past, with the infamous StarCraft: Ghost and the lesser-known project Ares. Schreier's book covers a wide range of topics and stories from throughout Blizzard's storied history, of which this story is only a tiny portion. 

The StarCraft universe is ripe with potential

Despite being a pillar of Blizzard Entertainment's franchises, StarCraft hasn't been explored as much as it could be.

While StarCraft has fallen by the wayside in recent years as Blizzard Entertainment continued to work on games like Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2, the games did receive a bit of attention recently, with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer revealing during the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2024 presentation that StarCraft Remastered and StarCraft 2: Campaign Collection are slated to join PC Game Pass on Nov. 5, 2024.

As a big fan of StarCraft, I'll remain hopeful that this shooter comes to fruition. Given the myriad studios with first and third-person shooter expertise under the Xbox first-party group, there's certainly plenty of talent that could help guide this game, if needed. Given its early stage of development, it's likely that even hoping things go well, we won't be hearing about this project for some time.

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What you need to know

• Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard in October 2023. Since then, the rollout for Activision Blizzard games on Xbox Game Pass has been slow, with games like Diablo 4 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 being added to the service. 
• During the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2024 presentation, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed that StarCraft Remastered and StarCraft 2 are coming to PC Game Pass. 
• StarCraft Remastered and StarCraft 2 are joining the PC Game Pass lineup on Nov. 5, 2024.

Players can return to the Koprulu Sector and the world of rock-paper-scissors strategy soon. 

During the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2024 presentation, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer revealed that StarCraft Remastered and StarCraft 2 are coming to PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on Nov. 5, 2024. The StarCraft franchise follows the struggles of three wildly different factions, the human Terrans, the ever-hungry Zerg, and the hyper-advanced Protoss.

While StarCraft 2's multiplayer is free-to-play, this Game Pass launch includes the campaign collection, meaning players can experience the entire science-fiction story.

Microsoft finalized its acquisition of Activision Blizzard back in October 2023, with a handful of the company's games added to the Xbox Game Pass lineup in the following months, including Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo 4 and Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

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• 🕹️Final Fantasy XVI (PC, Steam) | $43.79 at CDKeys (Save $6!)
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StarCraft is an iconic piece of Blizzard history

Despite the lack of a new game in recent years, StarCraft is a huge part of developer Blizzard Entertainment's history, and one of the defining franchises in the RTS genre.

As a sequel to one of the most iconic real-time strategy (RTS) games, StarCraft 2 was split across three different launches, with the 2010 Wings of Liberty release focusing on the Terran campaign, 2013's Heart of the Swarm unleashing the Zerg, and 2015's Legacy of the Void concluding the story with the Protoss arc. Meanwhile, StarCraft Remastered is the original game, cleaned up with support for more modern graphics capabilities, first launching back in 2017.

The first game and its Brood War expansion sold over 11 million copies by 2009, while StarCraft 2's three different campaign releases each sold over a million copies in under 48 hours. The franchise crossed $1 billion in revenue back in 2017. 

Right now, it's not clear what the future holds for StarCraft, but with more players getting to play these two games, we'll see if there's more to come in the years ahead. 

What you need to know

• Xbox Tokyo Game Show just aired with a bunch of announcements of new Game Pass games, and new trailers for upcoming titles.
• Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster has been confirmed and is available on Xbox right now. 
• Trials of Mana and Legend of Mana are now available on Xbox Game Pass.
• StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft II: Campaign Collection are coming to PC Game Pass, and we got a new trailer for Indiana Jones, as well as news of Fallout 76 Pets!

Xbox returned to the Tokyo Game Show today, packed with new gameplay footage, announcements, and reveals, the showcase highlighted games from across Asia and beyond, coming soon to Xbox consoles and PC.

Xbox Game Studios, Blizzard, and Bethesda delivered exciting updates on several games. We learned that the legendary RTS games StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft II: Campaign Collection are joining PC Game Pass, saw a first look at new content for Age of Mythology: Retold, and got a sneak peek at a My Hero Academia crossover event for Overwatch 2. In super exciting news, Fallout 76 introduced C.A.M.P. pets for the dog and cat lovers amongst us, and we were treated to more footage from Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. What's more the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster was confirmed and is available right now on Xbox. 

New trailer for Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater

Not only did we get a brand-new trailer for Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, but it was also confirmed that the game will be fully localized in Japanese. Game Director Jerk Gustafsson and Creative Director Axel Torvenius made an appearance during the Xbox Broadcast to share insights about the story. They also showcased gameplay footage, giving us a preview of the impressive Japanese voice acting featured in the game.

Overwatch 2: My Hero Academia crossover

A new event dropping into Overwatch 2 on October 17, 2024 — My Hero Academia! From October 17 to 28, players can step into the shoes of their favorite anime heroes and villains with exclusive legendary skins.

This limited-time event features iconic characters, with Tracer embodying the determined Deku, Juno as the optimistic Uraraka, and Reinhardt as the mighty All Might, squaring off against villains like Kiriko as the sinister Toga and Reaper as the ruthless Shigaraki. 

Age of Mythology Retold: Immortal Pillars 

Age of Mythology: Retold | Immortal Pillars will be the first expansion for the game. This new expansion brings the rich myths and grandeur of ancient China to life, introducing a brand-new pantheon of gods, mythological units, divine powers, and an immersive campaign inspired by Chinese mythology.

In Immortal Pillars, players can earn the favor of 12 new gods, including Nüwa, the goddess of creation, Chiyou, the bull-headed god of war, and Nüba, the goddess of drought. They can also summon powerful god powers, like the mighty Yinglong, the rain-bringing dragon of Chinese legend. Fans can now add the expansion to their wish list as they await its release.

Starcraft Remastered and Starcraft 2 coming to PC Game Pass 

If you've been asking for more Activision Blizzard titles on Xbox Game Pass, well this news is for you.  Announced by Phil Spencer, StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft II: Campaign Collection are coming to PC Game Pass  on November 5, 2024. While StarCraft and StarCraft II’s multiplayer modes remain free-to-play for all, Game Pass members will be able to access StarCraft: Remastered and the StarCraft II: Campaign Collection as part of their subscription.

Tanuki

Take on the role of an adorable, BMX-ing mailman racoon dog in Tanuki: Pon's Summer, coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. Tanuki: Pon’s Summer offers a cozy adventure perfect for the whole family, featuring a delightful mix of lovable characters, fun and unique activities, all set in a charming world. Players can fall in love with Pon, just like the townsfolk do, while exploring the game’s heartwarming quests.

Threads of Time

Threads of Time is now available to wishlist on Xbox and PC. Threads of Time is a beautiful 2.5D JRPG inspired by the genre’s classics. Guided by the Watcher of Time, you’ll journey through different time periods, from prehistoric lands filled with dinosaurs to a far-future world dominated by advanced technology, and beyond.

This first look reveals Threads of Time as a charming, party-based, time-traveling adventure, showcasing cinematic turn-based, combo-driven combat. Players will face legendary enemies such as Fenrir, the mythical wolf, and Ruin, a colossal robotic behemoth from the future, as they navigate through different epochs in time.

We Love Katamari: Reroll+ Royal Reverie

We Love Katamari: Reroll+ Royal Reverie is now available on Xbox Game Pass. It is a remaster of one of the most beloved titles in the Katamari Damacy series, offering enhanced visuals and exciting new content. This version introduces a brand-new story where players can roll around as The King of All Cosmos during his boyhood. 

Metaphor Re Fantazio 

Metaphor: ReFantazio, an exciting new fantasy RPG from the creators of Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5, is set to launch on October 11, with a demo available now. Progress will carry over into the full game upon release.

In Metaphor: ReFantazio, the protagonist awakens the power of the 'Archetype,' enabling him to battle enemies using a variety of abilities, including those of a Warrior or a Mage. Players can unlock different Archetypes, build their ultimate party, and take on a range of formidable foes. The newly released trailer provides an overview of the game while introducing powerful Archetypes and various Synthesis skills for the first time.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land

Atelier Yumia is the first game in the beloved RPG series to come to Xbox. Coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on March 21, 2025. Read more at Xbox Wire. 

Bleach: Rebirth of Souls

BLEACH: Rebirth of Souls is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S in early 2025. The release window was announced in a brand-new trailer showcasing the climactic battle between Ichigo Kurosaki and Ulquiorra Schiffer, and fans can follow the Bleach game X account to stay updated on the latest character reveals and gameplay details.

Synduality: Echo of Ada

Synduality: Echo of Ada coming to Xbox Series X|S on 24, January 2025. In this sci-fi, PvPvE extraction shooter, you and your A.I. partner must survive the surface by gathering resources to thrive in a harsh world. The release date was unveiled in a brand-new trailer, offering a glimpse of various A.I. Magus partners, customizable Cradlecoffin Mechs, and a treacherous environment teeming with hostile enemies. Compete for resources against or alongside other players, each with unpredictable loyalties.

Pre-order the Deluxe Edition or Ultimate Edition to play up to seven days early.

Fallout 76 gets pets!

What truly makes a C.A.M.P. feel like a home? Pets! Pets are coming to Fallout 76 by the end of 2024. Get ready to prepare your personal corner of the wasteland for your new furry friends!

Suikoden Remastered

Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster coming March 6. 2025. This beloved Konami RPG franchise, which first debuted in 1995, is making a comeback on current consoles with a remastered user interface, enhanced visual effects, and high-definition redrawn backgrounds.

All You Need is Help on Xbox Game Pass TODAY 

Get ready to put your friendships to the test, All You Need Is Help is a co-op puzzle game designed to be played with your friends - and it's out today, on Xbox Game Pass for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

This four-player co-op game supports both local and online multiplayer, allowing players to connect regardless of their console thanks to cross-platform support and a robust lobby system.

Slitterhead

Slitterhead, the fascinating new horror-adventure from Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, opens pre-orders today and is set to release for Xbox Series X|S on November 8, 2024. Both digital Standard and Deluxe editions will be available – Deluxe owners will get early access, a digital artbook, and a soundtrack from Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka.

Slitterhead is a horror-themed action-adventure game from Bokeh Game Studio, marking the first title developed and published by this independent company led by Keiichiro Toyama, renowned for his work on Silent Hill, as well as the Siren and Gravity Rush series. In an exclusive video, Toyama discussed his influences and shared insights into the unique "Possession" system, which will play a crucial role in both gameplay and storytelling. 

The Starbites

Starbites is a sci-fi, turn-based RPG set on the deserted planet of Bitter, where the remnants of spaceships from past space wars litter the landscape. Players follow the story of Lukida, a debris collector who scavenges the wreckage to pay off his debts. Disillusioned by his bleak existence on Bitter, Lukida decides to embark on an epic journey with his friends to escape the planet.

The combat system in Starbites offers a unique blend of traditional turn-based strategy and innovative mechanics. We don't have a release date for this title yet. 

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake adds updated features to an all-time classic, blending classic aesthetics with modern gameplay. This remake not only captures the essence of the original but also expands upon it with exciting new features, such as the Monster Wrangler vocation. This new class harnesses powerful monstrous abilities to damage foes, heal allies, and more. Players will also have the chance to scout friendly monsters and recruit them for battles in the Monster Arena, where they can participate in tournaments for fun and profit.


Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake launches for Xbox Series X|S on November 14, 2024.

The definitive versions of Final Fantasy 1-6 are out on Xbox consoles and Windows PC today!

In a not-so-surprise announcement that was leaked yesterday, the legendary first six games in the Final Fantasy series are now available on Xbox and Windows for the first time! It's the first of many Square Enix games coming to Xbox. Experience the six incredible stories that captivated a generation, all featuring universally updated 2D pixel graphics, a rearranged soundtrack, and various quality of life improvements.

The remasters include modernized gameplay elements such as an updated user interface, auto-battle options, and supplementary extras like a bestiary, illustration gallery, and music player. Players can enjoy Final Fantasy I-VI either individually or as part of a bundle.

Trials of Mana and Legends of Mana on Xbox Game Pass TODAY

Experience the magic of Legend of Mana and Trials of Mana, now available on Xbox and Xbox Game Pass for the first time. Legend of Mana features the unique 'Land Make' system, allowing you to build your own world map and shape your adventure by placing special artifacts. With a colorful cast of characters and exciting real-time combat, this HD remaster also includes a rearranged soundtrack and the mini-game Ring Ring Land, offering the ultimate way to enjoy this classic RPG.

Trials of Mana is a beloved classic reimagined in 3D, showcasing significant graphic improvements, voiceovers, and a remastered soundtrack. This RPG presents an overlapping story of interwoven destinies that changes based on your chosen main character and companions. 

Over and out

That's everything from the Xbox Tokyo Game Show this year! What was your favorite announcement? And why is it the Fallout 76 pets?

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What you need to know

• Recently, we conducted an exclusive interview with Microsoft Gaming CEO and Xbox lead Phil Spencer. 
• In the interview we discussed Xbox hardware, cloud gaming, and Microsoft's trajectory for 2024. 
• We also discussed classic franchises like Banjo and StarCraft, and Spencer offered some thoughts on how these types of projects get explored, and ultimately greenlit. 

Microsoft now owns ZeniMax, Microsoft owns Activision, Microsoft owns Blizzard. With all of these things comes decades, anywhere up to 40 years' worth, of dormant video game franchises. Microsoft has shown itself willing to revive even "niche" properties games like Age of Empires and Killer Instinct, when other publishers would shy away from doing so. What makes Microsoft different? And what does that mean for classic games like Banjo-Kazooie, StarCraft, and more? 

Well, we recently got the opportunity to ask the head of Xbox himself. 

In our exclusive interview with Microsoft Gaming CEO and Xbox lead Phil Spencer, we asked Spencer to detail his thought process on building out franchises based on long-dormant IP, and what needs to happen to get the ball rolling. 

I asked Spencer why Microsoft is able and willing to explore more "niche" titles like Killer Instinct, in a universe where Activision and other publishers are not. Activision quite famously allowed massive franchises like StarCraft, Guitar Hero, and Skylanders to fall by the wayside, and Spencer explained that as a platform holder, Microsoft can be a bit more flexible. 

"It goes back to some of our language on Game Pass in the very beginning," Spencer continued, "what we see in Game Pass is a service that supports all kinds of games, from the biggest games, to the unknown indie games that you didn't know you would love until you played it. If you're an individual publisher, you really have to think about 'how do you get everybody playing my game.' I think a lot of the publishers are naturally drawn to making games that are big hit games, as big as possible." 

It's certainly true that Activision, EA, Epic, and others tend to focus on their bigger franchises. EA notoriously has side-lined Titanfall in favor of Apex Legends. Activision side-lined StarCraft for World of Warcraft and Overwatch, Epic side-lined Unreal Tournament for Fortnite, and so on. 

Spencer explained, "the diversity of business models allows us to invest in different kinds of content and still have financial success with that content. When we look at the back catalog of games from Bethesda, we get really excited. We look at the back catalog from Activision and Blizzard, we get really excited about the things we can do." Elaborating further, Spencer noted that they also want to build "mega-hit" games, but they have also proven themselves willing to build smaller projects, citing games like Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment. Spencer also elaborated further that the original developers need to be part of those discussions. I mentioned games like Heroes of the Storm and StarCraft 2, both of which are essentially in maintenance mode, only receiving occasional bug fix and balance tweak patches. Spencer said they'd want to ensure Blizzard was part of the discussions to revive any of those franchises, and that it wouldn't necessarily simply be a case of spinning up a new team to handle them. 

Spencer comments on 'teasing' new games

I noted to Spencer about how he mentioned StarCraft fans on stage at Blizzcon 2023, and he explained some of Microsoft's approach to "teasing" dormant franchises, offering a specific call out to fans of the classic Rare 3D platformer Banjo-Kazooie. 

"You've seen from our history that we haven't touched every franchise that people would love us to touch — Banjo fans, I hear you. But it is true that, when we find the right team, and the right opportunity, I love going back to revisit stories and characters that we've seen previously," Spencer said. 

"I want our fans and customers to know that I don't bring up games just to tease to no end ... if people have watched how we've teased things in the past. There's usually some kind of reconciliation of those hints later on ... I'm not one to try and lead people on. It might not happen on the timeline that people would love, but usually when I tease, there's something there."

Spencer quite specifically has mentioned various franchises in numerous interviews this year, as part of Microsoft's mammoth $72 billion purchase of Activision-Blizzard. Franchises like StarCraft, Skylanders, Guitar Hero, all received mentions. Spencer also famously wore a Hexen t-shirt during a recent event. Hexen is a first-person shooter built by the studio behind DOOM, which Microsoft acquired with the ZeniMax purchase a couple of years ago. Hexen was, however, published by Activision, the rights to which Microsoft now owns via the ABK acquisition. It's not hard to imagine where that could be going. 

So many possibilities

It's encouraging to hear Spencer describe their approach to some of this stuff. Rather than just rip the franchises from their original developers to build soulless products, Microsoft Gaming would rather work with the original teams to find the best approach. The team that built StarCraft may no longer exist, with many of the developers moved to other teams, with many working on the new IP "Stormgate," as part of new studio Frost Giant Games. The team that built Banjo-Kazooie is largely scattered to the winds too, with ex-developers founding Playtonic to build out a successor in the form of Yooka-Laylee. 

Microsoft did rebuild teams to tackle franchises like Age of Empires, which included many developers from the old Ensemble Studios era. Killer Instinct is now being handled by Iron Galaxy, and we saw Microsoft acquire Gears of War from Epic Games previously, along with hires for various developers from that previous team. We've also seen Microsoft revive Perfect Dark, led by The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics. 

The possibilities for future upcoming Xbox games are truly tantalizing. But like Phil Spencer said, it might not always be on the timeline people hope for. Keep the faith, Banjo fans. 

We're ramping up in the world of Windows and Xbox news. The slower days of summer in the northern hemisphere are almost entirely behind us, paving the way for product announcements and back-to-school season. This week Microsoft released a preview of Windows 365 Switch and made changes to the trial for Xbox Game Pass. The company also cut Windows 11 support for 44 CPUs.

You can catch up on all of the biggest news stories from the week right here.

Windows 365 Switch

Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel and Beta Channel have a new feature to play with. In addition to Insider builds rolling out to both channels, Microsoft began testing Windows 365 Switch among certain Insiders. The feature allows you to jump between a local desktop and a Windows 365 cloud PC with a mouse-click, keyboard command, or gesture.

With Windows 365 Switch, hopping back and forth between a local desktop and a cloud PC should feel the same as switching between virtual desktops.

Xbox dampens dreams of Starfield

Starfield is one of the most anticipated games of the year, but you won't be able to play it for one month for $1. That's because Microsoft cut the length of the $1 trial of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in half. The trial for PC Game Pass has been shortened as well. That means anyone taking advantage of the trial will only be able to play Starfield for $1 for 14 days.

44 CPUS no longer support Windows 11

Microsoft removed 44 Intel Ceon processors from its list of support CPUs for Windows 11 this week. All of the chips removed are from Intel's 8th generation of CPIUs. It's not entirely clear why Microsoft made this change. The company set a strict set of requirements for Windows 11 when the operating system launched, but it hasn't removed CPUs from its list of supported devices up to this point.

Intel Xeon chips are generally found in servers, workstations, and embedded systems, so everyday users won't be directly affected by the change. But unless the removals were a mistake, it shows that Microsoft is willing to cut support for CPUs that have previously been supported.

Galaxy Z Flip5, Z Fold5, and Tab S9 launch

This week we saw the launch of Samsung's new Galaxy devices. The Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Tab S9 lineup, and Galaxy Watch 6 lineup all went up for sale. Many of them have trade-in deals and other bundles. The Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5 each come with four months of Microsoft 365 Basic, four months of YouTube Premium, and two months of Adobe Lightroom.

While the Galaxy Z Fold5 does not have the same aspect ratio as the Surface Duo, it will likely be the foldable of choice for many who move on from the Duo. Samsung has a much better history of supporting its folding phones than Microsoft does.

Lastly, Samsung unveiled a pair of smartwatches in the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic stood out because it brought back the popular rotating bezels that were removed with the previous generation.

You can get up to $250 off the Galaxy Watch 6 or Galaxy Watch 6 Classic with an eligible trade-in. That's a large discount considering the smartwatches start at $299.99.

Reviews & Editorials

Our experts take a hands-on look at the latest gadgets and games every week. A dual-mode wireless gaming headset, an impressive Windows on ARM 2-in-1, and a 27-inch monitor round out our recent coverage.

• PlayStation won the console war, will Xbox let them win cloud gaming too?
• Not enough people are talking about this game-changing upcoming Xbox feature
• Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini (Gen 8) review: Tempting me away from desktops with versatile benefits
• Review: Alienware 720H Dual-Mode Wireless Gaming Headset is almost perfect after a firmware update
• Robo & Kala 2-in-1 Laptop review: This might be the best Windows 11 on ARM device yet
• HP OMEN 27k review: 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and a KVM switch make for a stupendous gaming monitor
• Atlas Fallen review (Xbox): An entertaining desert adventure in need of some sandpaper
• Alienware Tri-Mode Wireless Gaming Keyboard (AW920K) review: Expensive, multi-PC wireless luxury
• Alienware Wireless Gaming Mouse (AW620M) review: A comfortable, reliable, no-frills RGB gaming companion

Deals of the week

With back-to-school season here, there are a ton of deals right now. In most cases, you don't have to be a student to enjoy the discounts. This week, a couple of lovely ultrawide monitors saw their prices slashed, as well as the Dell XPS Desktop.

What you need to know

• StarCraft II is the fastest selling RTS of all-time.
• Game8 is hosting a $500,000 tournament.
• Four of the greatest players of all-time are returning. MVP, MMA, MC, and Stephano.

StarCraft II is one of the most beloved real-time strategy games out there. Having released 13 years ago today, StarCraft took the world by storm breaking records as it became the fastest selling RTS of all-time. The game features three varied species battling for supremacy; the Terrans (humans), the Protoss (technologically advanced species), and Zerg (essentially a more organic Borg).

Adored by millions, but forgotten as of late, StarCraft II appears to be receiving some life after a period of silence. Earlier this year, Game8 announced a $500,000 prize pool tournament in March. Today, they've issued another tweet informing us that four of the largest names in the history of the game will be returning for the StarCraft II Legends tournament. Jung "MVP" Jong Hyun, Ilyes "Stephano" Satouri, Mun "MMA" Seong Won, and Jang "MC" Min Chul. The tournament date is set for August 5th.

Just these four alone have won over $1.6 million amongst themselves. Winning matches across Europe, Asia, and North America. A coveted title, the "Triple Crown" in StarCraft II is an unofficial title secured for players who have bested Premier Tournaments in North America, Europe, and Korea. MVP, MC, and MMA are three of only ten players to win a triple crown in StarCraft II. MVP is widely considered by many to be the greatest the game has ever seen, and that's still considering that he retired nearly a decade ago in 2014.

Nostalgia hits me hard when reading some of these names; my time with StarCraft feels like another lifetime ago. I can't help but smile, knowing some of my personal favorites will reunite once more come August. Who else is ready for some Zerg rushing?

The hour of Diablo 4 Open Beta being no more is fast approaching, leaving us bereft and hungry for more. We have an agonizing wait until June 6 for the full release, but if you want to know more about the world of Sanctuary, we've found a fantastic deal that will satiate your Diablo 4 hunger more than a double-down sandwich, but also give to charity. Reverend Mother Prava would be proud. 

This Humble Bundle will donate a portion of the proceeds to The Call of Duty Endowment, a charity that funds employment support for veterans, with grants that aid organizations helping veterans back into the workplace. You can read more about The Call of Duty Endowment at their official website. 

What's in the Blizzard Legends & Lore Bundle?

• Diablo: The Sin War Book One - Birthright
• Diablo: The Sin War Book Two - Scales of the Serpent
• Diablo: The Sin War Book Three - The Veiled Prophet
• Diablo: The Black Road
• Diablo: Legacy of Blood
• Diablo: Kingdom of Shadow
• Diablo: The Order
• World of Warcraft: Shadow Wing Vol.1 - The Dragons of Outland
• World of Warcraft: Shadow Wing Vol.2 - Nexus Point
• World of Warcraft: Beyond the Dark Portal
• World of Warcraft: Pearl of Pandaria
• World of Warcraft Mage
• World of Warcraft: Night of the Dragon
• StarCraft: Ghost-Spectres
• StarCraft: Shadow of the Xel'Naga
• StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga - Book One - Firstborn
• StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga - Book Two - Shadow Hunters
• StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga - Book Three - Twilight
• StarCraft: Ghost Academy Vol.1
• StarCraft: Ghost Academy Vol.2
• StarCraft: Ghost Academy Vol.3
• StarCraft 2: The Devil's Due - Blizzard Legends

While you may not be interested in every single book the bundle has to offer, even if purchasing for Diablo or World of WarCraft alone this bundle offers incredible value. The first book in the Diablo Sin War trilogy, Birthright, is currently $11.49 on Amazon for the Kindle edition.

For those who have played the Diablo 4 open beta and been captivated by the story, whether you are new to the world of Sanctuary or even experienced with the previous games, I'd highly recommend purchasing this bundle for the Diablo Sin War Trilogy alone. These three books will give you a lot more insight into the creation of humans, the Eternal Conflict, and more background on the story of Inarius and Lilith.

We have a full lore article in the works, but in the meantime, if you want to dive back into the world of the Burning Hells, and back into the arms of Lilith, then this is a fantastic deal. 

Over the course of the past few years, being a Blizzard fan has been increasingly harder. I wrote an article all the way back in 2016 titled "Is Activision devouring Blizzard?" noticing an uptick in corner-cutting, rushed deadlines, and other annoyances that seemed more reminiscent of the notorious annualized Call of Duty dev cycle, rather than the quality Blizzard was previously known for. "Soon™" was a Blizzard meme, in reference and reverie to the fact they took their time to release games finished and polished, or at least as close to it as possible. Alas, over the years, that image has been gradually whittled away for various reasons, with similarly varied severity.

Last week, Microsoft announced its megablockbuster $70 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, giving them control of everything from Call of Duty to Candy Crush. The news was met with mixed feelings across the spectrum, with some decrying industry consolidation, and others concerned over the fate of historically multiplatform franchises. In the Blizzard fan camp, the acquisition has been met with cautious optimism from what I can see, particularly so among the PC-first franchises like World of Warcraft, StarCraft, and even Heroes of the Storm.

I count myself among those cautiously optimistic fans of Blizzard PC games, and hope that this whole deal turns a page in what has proven to be a bit of a dark era for what is one of the most beloved and celebrated publishers in the industry's history. Microsoft has a lot to prove, even as it turns a page on its own murky relationship with PC gaming. Still, here's why I think there's plenty of room for optimism for better days ahead, both for fans of Blizzard games, and more importantly, Blizzard developers and staff.

Doubling down on Windows PC

Microsoft's namecheck of StarCraft in its initial announcement was absolutely no mistake. Microsoft gaming CEO and Xbox lead Phil Spencer stated in multiple interviews in the past week that he intends to look at dormant Activision franchises, even going as far to mention things like Guitar Hero.

Much of the discourse revolving around this acquisition focuses on Xbox versus PlayStation, and whether Call of Duty will go exclusive — and sure, that is part of the whole puzzle — but it's my firm belief that Microsoft did this primarily to grow its footprint on Windows, a platform it ironically owns, but has effectively lost control of when it comes to gaming.

Windows is an open platform, meaning third-party companies like Valve with its Steam store or Tencent with its mammoth franchises like League of Legends, can build and maintain businesses on Windows without Microsoft seeing a single penny. And that's as it should be, frankly, given that Windows itself is effectively an OS monopoly. But since Phil Spencer came on board, they spoke of using Xbox to drive positive sentiment across the entire Microsoft ecosystem, in much the same way Apple did so with iTunes and music. Xbox's presence on PC is growing and gaining traction, but primarily so on Steam, which of course, Valve takes a big cut of.

Microsoft has its own PC gaming store, which isn't particularly great, depending on the endpoint you're using. What is pretty great, however, is PC Game Pass, and the value it represents. The app for PC Game Pass may be terrible (that's a topic for another time), but if the value is there, people may put up with a terrible launcher to access Microsoft's ecosystem.

This acquisition gives Microsoft control of Battle.net, which, love it or hate it, is at least a competent launcher, unlike the lumbering and slow Frankenstein Xbox app, which uses Skype as its messaging back end, and the hated Windows Store for its app package delivery. With Battle.net, Microsoft has an opportunity to build a better relationship with PC gamers, and games will naturally be a huge part of that investment.

PC Game Pass brings value, Battle.net brings a stable PC social ecosystem, and Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, and Xbox Game Studios bring the games. Growing Game Pass, however, means tackling and catering for every PC gaming niche imaginable. As a platform curator, Microsoft's goals will be wholly different from Activision's leadership, which only really sought to chase prevailing trends to appease shareholders. This was naturally to the detriment of games like StarCraft, which reside in a genre that isn't as mainstream as it perhaps once was. Microsoft has shown that it is interested in the genre, though, reviving Age of Empires from a years-long slumber.

Indeed, the focus might be on how this deal affects Xbox and PlayStation, but a huge part of this for Microsoft is fending off Tencent, a company most gamers aren't even aware of. Tencent is the biggest gaming company by revenue, owning almost 50% of the Unreal Engine and Fortnite, alongside League of Legends, Valorant, and other Riot properties. Having games that can stand up to the PC footprint of Tencent is perhaps in some ways an even bigger mountain to climb for the engagement-hungry Microsoft, which sees the tech giant as an existential threat across various aspects of its business, beyond gaming itself.

Thought, at the end of the day, who cares about trillion-dollar corps and their concerns? What matters ultimately is how consumers benefit. If Microsoft intends to reach the world's 3 billion gamers with its all-encompassing Xbox Game Pass/PC Game Pass subscription service, hitting every niche is absolutely in their remit. This bodes well for everything from Overwatch, to Heroes of the Storm, to StarCraft, as well as spinoffs in those beloved universes. Where subscription engagement is king, building good content and curating positive ongoing sentiment is absolutely key, and few communities are as passionate as Blizzard's.

Xbox is shielded from shareholder meddling

Another reason I think the future is bright for Blizzard is that Xbox is shielded from shareholder scrutiny in a way that Activision itself wasn't.

Microsoft posted revenues upwards of $50 billion dollars for the quarter yesterday, and analysts and investors didn't ask a single question about the Activision Blizzard acquisition during the earnings call. Microsoft's bread and butter is cloud, and business-to-business mega deals, like its enormous $20 billion deal with the U.S. military for HoloLens.

Azure powers hundreds of businesses across the globe, which forms the basis of its operating income. Azure dwarfs many of Microsoft's historical business segments, including Windows licensing on PCs and Xbox itself, allowing some of Microsoft's "smaller" divisions to avoid some of the meddling we see occur at companies like EA, Take-Two, and Activision.

I feel like some of the big video game publishers do this weird dance where they lurch from pissing off fans with aggressive monetization plans, then falling back on more popular projects to rebuild lost trust. We've seen it from EA with its handling of BioWare and DICE, and we've seen it from Take-Two with its GTA Trilogy remake, and its apparent abandonment of Red Dead Online.

On the Activision side, we've seen World of Warcraft expansions lose unique features over time, in favor of cheaper, rehashed versions of previous systems emerging repeatedly while writing quality took a big nosedive. We saw Warcraft III: Reforged, which should've been celebrated, launch in this half-finished state, with fewer features than the original client. The Diablo II remaster was a rare win for modern Blizzard thankfully, but we've also seen Heroes of the Storm and StarCraft get abandoned in the process. We've seen Activision lay off hundreds of people arbitrarily too over the years, only to re-hire them after quarterly earnings were posted.

This isn't to suggest Microsoft has no capacity for pissing off fans, of course. Microsoft is a business, not a charity, and still wants Xbox to be profitable. In general, though, I think Xbox Game Pass and Microsoft's status as a platform holder allows for more creative risk than Activision does.

Tying the success of the division to Xbox/PC Game Pass growth effectively incentivizes quality, creativity, and unique games that perhaps sit outside of prevailing trends. Microsoft also derives value from positive sentiment across its brand and ecosystem in a way that Activision doesn't. We've seen Microsoft invest in studios that are essentially known for sitting outside of the mega-hit mainstream, such as Double Fine, and inXile. We've seen Microsoft greenlight creative and smaller games, such as Grounded from Obsidian. A lot of the projects I see coming out of Xbox Game Studios are titles I would never expect modern EA, Activision, or Take-Two to greenlight, outside of their indie incubators.

Ultimately, as long as Azure keeps doing the big numbers to appease the establishment shareholders, the gaming division at Microsoft essentially gets to put its emphasis on gamers, creativity, and quality, in a way that Activision, EA, and others, often can't apparently.

Healing Blizzard

Over the past year, revelations about Blizzard's working environment rocked the image of the studio, with victims of harassment, abuse, and maltreatment coming forward with their experiences. It painted a grim picture of a studio that at one point in time seemed invincible. It also put a spotlight on CEO Robert Kotick's hands-off leadership style, treating the company like a piggy bank as opposed to the respect it really deserved.

Former Blizzard lead J. Allen Brack took the fall for a lawsuit kicked off by California into these revelations, although I've spoken to sources at Blizzard who believe he was scapegoated, ultimately, to save Robert Kotick. Kotick and the board of directors made their attitudes towards the lawsuit and staff apparent when it first emerged, with Kotick cowering behind subordinates rather than addressing the allegations directly.

Last year, it felt a bit like there was no way for Blizzard to emerge from this dark period. It seemed as though Kotick and the rest of the executive level team were going to stay put, resisting calls to resign, essentially keeping the structures in place that allowed these things to occur.

We saw an exodus of staff at every level, dissatisfied with Kotick's deflections and inability to take responsibility. Just last week, Kotick gave an interview where he essentially blamed his developers with the delays of Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV for Activision's sliding share price, rather than the high-profile lawsuit that battered the company's image in the mainstream non-gaming press.

Kotick absolutely must be fired, and the leadership team cleared out, and one can only assume they will be. New leadership is needed to truly turn a page on the company's darker days, and hopefully, hefty compensation packages for those affected by the allegations. It falls to former Xbox Corporate Vice President Mike Ybarra to lead the ship forward. Thus far Ybarra has been transparent about improving the company culture and rebuilding trust both within and outside the company.

Holding Microsoft to account

Indeed, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the most important aspect of this whole thing is positive outcomes for Blizzard, and all Activision staff. Acquisitions are a scary time, speaking somewhat from experience, given that Windows Central itself used to be an independent blog. You don't know how the new company will impact your culture, you don't know what restrictions may be placed on your ability to create and ultimately enjoy your job. You don't know whether friends or colleagues may be moved to other departments, or even laid off. Thankfully, our acquisition has been relatively smooth sailing and somewhat allowed us to focus a bit more on delivering content (even if I do despise our company-mandated Google Apps).

Of course, Activision Blizzard joining Microsoft is on an entirely different level of complexity and stressors than what I've experienced here. In purchasing Activision Blizzard King, Microsoft takes on responsibility for employees who may still be hurting and need support. They inherit departments typically outside of their usual wheelhouse, like the esports MLG organization Activision owns. They inherit the lawsuits, and the task of rebuilding trust both within the company and beyond.

I've made no secret of the fact that World of Warcraft is one of my most beloved games, and has been an important force in my life. With over 10,000 hours played, friendships I've made in WoW endure over 15 years later. There's no game that means more to me, in terms of the impact it has had on my life.

Even though I don't currently play, I feel this sense of admiration and appreciation towards Blizzard, whose worlds helped me deal with what ended up being quite a dark period in my life. I know dozens of Blizzard fans who have similar stories about all of their games. Built families and relationships through people they'd met in WoW, or found careers through the passion their games stir in people.

For the developers and all affected staff, I only hope that this whole deal provides a reality of a brighter future where Blizzard can return to what it's known for first and foremost: amazing worlds, cherished characters, and incredible games, with staff that are paid well, in an environment that is nurturing and safe.

What you need to know

• Microsoft recently purchased Activision Blizzard, thereby gaining access to all of the bought company's beloved intellectual properties.
• We polled readers to find out which franchise needs a revival (or dust-off) ASAP.
• Readers have spoken: StarCraft is of the utmost importance, followed by Spyro and Guitar Hero.

The readers of Windows Central have spoken: StarCraft needs Microsoft's and Xbox's attention, stat.

Over the weekend, following the news that Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard, we hosted a poll asking people which Activision Blizzard property they wanted to see Microsoft revive right away. As of this posting, the vote total sits at 1,115. StarCraft owns the lion's share with 24.39% of those votes (272 votes).

Spyro came in second with 18.3% (204 votes), and Guitar Hero managed 12.29% (137 votes). Fourth place went to Prototype, fifth went to "other" (Activision Blizzard holds a lot of beloved IPs), sixth went to the idea of rebirthing Call of Duty as a better franchise, HeXen locked seventh place, and last came Tony Hawk with just 5.83% (65 votes).

Down in the comments, where the coolest of cool readers are, we got a glimpse of what people were hoping for when they voted "other" in the poll.

"Infocom redux and X-men Legends 2 plz," requested techiedude007. "The possibilities for Game Pass are staggering."

Enigmaraff also chimed in with ideas. "I'd like to see a new Zork game and a remaster of Crash Bandicoot Wrath of Cortex," they said.

Meanwhile, fjtorres proposed not only Activision Blizzard revivals but also Microsoft revivals. "Some of the Activision studios might want a crack at some of the dormant MS IPs like Conker or Fusion Frenzy (King?)," they stated, reminding us to never count out Conker, the forgotten adopted son of Microsoft.

What you need to know

• Blizzard Entertainment is ending most support for StarCraft 2 moving forward.
• There will be no more paid content, though bug fixes and balance patches will continue.
• Blizzard is also looking forward to what is next for "...the StarCraft universe as a whole."

Blizzard Entertainment announced today that it is ending most StarCraft 2 support moving forward. There will be no more paid content such as new War Chests or Commanders or story expansions. This comes after StarCraft 2 crossed its 10th anniversary earlier in 2020.

There will still be new patches and bug fixes, though these will specifically be in tune with what the core and competitive audiences are interested in. Rob Bridenbecker, executive vice president at Blizzard Entertainment, explained that this change will allow Blizzard to think about what is next for "...the StarCraft universe as a whole."

This change comes at a time when Blizzard Entertainment is working on Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2, neither of which have release dates or even release windows. Many Blizzard staff are also currently organizing and striking for better pay and work conditions.

StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty first released in July 2010. It was followed by the Zerg-themed Heart of the Swarm expansion in March 2013 and the Protoss story, Legacy of the Void, in November 2015. The game model has since moved to free-to-play, with Commander packs added until now.

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What you need to know

• StarCraft: Ghost makes a surprise appearance after 15 years of ghosting us.
• The leaked build is from an original Xbox development kit and looks a bit rough around the edges.
• StarCraft: Ghost was officially canceled in 2014 after years of development turmoil and changing hands several times.

StarCraft: Ghost was one of those games that seemingly everyone was excited about but was ultimately canceled for untold reasons. While the game was playable on the show floor of the annual E3 gaming conference for a few years, it ultimately disappeared and was never heard from again after 2005. Thanks to the work of an astute YouTuber, a long-forgotten development build of StarCraft: Ghost has finally made its way to the Internet at large.

Oddly enough, this development build appears to have been found installed on an original Xbox development kit, but there's no telling how far along this build was or how many hands had been in the pot by that time. StarCraft: Ghost went through an arduous development cycle, switching developers several times before eventually being officially canceled by Blizzard in 2014.

One part Deadspace, one part Splinter Cell, with a little Gears of War thrown in for good measure, StarCraft: Ghost could have turned into something truly special in the hands of the right developers. Originally planned to release on Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube, the version of the game you'll find in the video above is running in an upscaled 720p resolution and looks quite a bit sharper than it would have on any of the aforementioned consoles.

There's certainly something charming about the concept of StarCraft: Ghost, which was to see players take the role of Nova, a Terran Ghost unit that can be found in the StarCraft series of real-time strategy games. Rumors were flying of HD remasters many Blizzard classics some years ago but, at this time, only Warcraft 3 has managed to receive any sort of HD remaster. Given the significant issues with the Warcraft 3: Reforged release, there's no telling what the future of these releases could hold.

Everything we know about the next-generation Xbox Series X

Fortnite hasn't got an esports scene yet, but that hasn't prevented some teams forming up around the popular Battle Royale title.

Other news this week includes a Canadian taking down stiff competition in StarCraft II, bagging $50,000 and the expansion of the Overwatch League to bring more teams to the league table.

Canada brings home the SC II trophy

Sasha "Scarlett" Hostyn (representing Team Experts) managed to take down Kim "sOs" Yoo from Jin Air Green Wings, taking part in the $150,000 StarCraft II Intel Extreme Masters event in PyeongChang, South Korea.

It's quite the victory for the foreign player in a championship recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Taking back $50,000, Scarlett managed to destroy sOs in a 4-1 final series.

Expanding the OWL

Blizzard confirmed in the company's quarterly earnings call plans to expand the Overwatch League this year are in place, aiming to add new teams and better support regions, including Europe and Asia. Blizzard also noted that the company expects the OWL to become profitable this year, but has a roadmap to increase reach and attract more viewers.

If you've not been following the OWL, likely due to no local representation, the second season may bring a few surprises to drum up some interest. There's also some excitement for female fans of the esport as Kim "Geguri" Se-yeon is reportedly set to join the Shanghai Dragons and become the first female professional player in the OWL. Should this become reality, it's excellent news for the scene as a whole.

I've always been an advocate for mixing the sexes in tournaments (as opposed to splitting them up) and to see women making it to the stage due to nothing else than talent should attract more budding potential and silence those who continue moaning about a non-issue.

COD World League is going to Valkyrie

Xbox One Call of Duty fans won't yet be familiar with Valkyrie, one of the maps in DLC 1, The Resistance, for the franchise's latest title, WWII. Sony has a timed exclusive on that, but one thing that fans of the competitive scene weren't expecting is that a DLC map would be joining the official CWL rotation.

Valkyrie will be joining the competitive ruleset from February 20 and as such will be available for the forthcoming CWL major events in Atlanta and Birmingham, UK. It'll be playable also in any competitive mode on the console, including ranked play and Gamebattles ladder matches.

Exactly which game modes will be played on Valkyrie hasn't yet been released, but it's a much needed injection of fresh life. One of the main criticisms of this year's competitive Call of Duty (it's not a COD game without criticism) is that there's not much in the way of map variety. It's not uncommon to see London Docks, for example, on maps one, two and three in a five map series. As the remaining DLC packs come out later in the year, it'd be great to see them get the same treatment.

Fortnite Battle Royale teams start to be signed

There's no official esports scene yet for Fortnite Battle Royale, Epic Game's smash hit free-to-play title, but that hasn't stopped professional organisations signing up players and teams.

The top Fortnite player on Twitch (arguably the top player in the world), Ninja, is a professional across multiple titles and has been signed to Luminosity since before he began playing Fortnite. There are other streamers signed to organisations, such as KingRichard who represents NRG, but now it's going one step further.

Global esports powerhouse, Team SoloMid announced it has signed a competitive Fortnite roster of four consisting of:

• Ali 'Myth' Kabbani (Team Captain)
• Darryle 'Hamlinz' Hamlin
• 'CaMiLLs'
• 'Daequan'

The team also signed up three streamers dedicated to Fortnite, too. This sits alongside the existing TSM PUBG team currently competiting, so the organisation is certainly well represented in the big battle royale titles.

What exactly the future holds for competitive Fortnite is still unclear right now, but with the H1Z1 Pro League looming and the growing PUBG esports scene, it seems only natural that Fortnite would follow.

Mixer's "this week in esports" series

Microsoft's Mixer platform deserves a shoutout for its weekly esports show, "This Week in Esports." You can catch it every Thursday at 6 p.m. Eastern at the channel linked below. And if you ever miss an episode, hit the same channel to catch the previous episode on demand.

It's about an hour each week, but it's well worth tuning in, which of course you can do on your Xbox One, too, in the Mixer app. You can also catch up with the show on YouTube.

Check out "This Week in Esports" on Mixer

Upcoming live events

• Call of Duty Pro League Stage One week four - February 13 to February 15, watch on Twitch or at MLG.com
• Halo World Championship Orlando Open, begins on February 16, watch on Twitch or Mixer
• League of Legends LCS - February 9 (EU), February 10 (EU and NA), February 11 (NA), watch on Twitch

Blizzard is one of the biggest PC game publishers of all time, but many of its older games don't currently work or scale well with today's high-end hardware and operating systems. Now there's hope that Blizzard may be planning to release remasters of games like StarCraft, Warcraft III, and Diablo II so they will work well with operating systems like Windows 10.

In a job listing for "Senior Software Engineer, Classic Games": Blizzard states:

"Compelling stories. Intense multiplayer. Endless replayability. Qualities that made StarCraft, Warcraft III, and Diablo II the titans of their day. Evolving operating systems, hardware, and online services have made them more difficult to be experienced by their loyal followers or reaching a new generation."

"We're restoring them to glory, and we need your engineering talents, your passion, and your ability to get tough jobs done."

"So if you like wearing many hats, know small teams are the most effective, and look forward to challenges that will create millions of new adventures for our players: we would love to hear from you."

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Make gameplay first again on modern operating systems.
• Create conditions for experiences that look as good as they play.
• Own implementation and curation of features new and old.
• Combat hacking to improve multiplayer.
• Diagnose and fix all the things: crashes, deadlocks, overflows, heap corruptions, etc.

Microsoft has had success in releasing revamped versions of classic RTS games on Steam such as Age of Empires II, Age of Mythology and Rise of Nations. Would you buy HD remasters of StarCraft, Diablo II And WarCraft 3 for your Windows 10 PC? Let us know in the comments!

Source: Blizzard; Via: NeoGAF