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.
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.
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