StarCraft is a
science fiction media franchise made up of
real-time strategy video games developed and published by
Blizzard Entertainment . The series has several games which carry the main story arc:
StarCraft , its expansion pack
StarCraft: Brood War , and the trilogy
StarCraft II . In addition, the series incorporates media that include spin-off video games,
tabletop games ,
novelizations ,
graphic novels , and other literature. A variety of toys have also been produced. Set in the 26th century, the series revolves around three species fighting for dominance in a distant part of the
Milky Way galaxy: the
Terrans , humans exiled from Earth who are adept at conforming to any situation; the
Zerg , a race of
insectoids obsessed with the pursuit of genetic perfection through the assimilation of other races; and the
Protoss , a humanoid species with advanced technology and
psionic abilities attempting to preserve from the Zerg both their civilization and strict philosophical way of living.
Conceived by Chris Metzen and James Phinney, the StarCraft series has been a commercial and critical success. The first game, StarCraft , is regarded as being highly influential in the real-time strategy genre. Combined with its official expansion, Brood War , over 10 million copies of StarCraft have been sold globally. StarCraft remains one of the most popular online games in the world; Blizzard Entertainment reported an 800 percent increase in Battle.net service usage after the game's release in 1998. The original StarCraft and its expansion are particularly popular in South Korea , where a successful eSports scene has been established.
Games
Video games
Game
Release date
North America
PAL region
StarCraft
31 March 1998
31 March 1998
StarCraft: Insurrection
31 July 1998
31 July 1998
Authorized add-on for StarCraft , developed by Aztech New Media
Side story based around a minor planet in the series' backstory
StarCraft: Retribution
Late 1998
Late 1998
Authorized add-on for StarCraft , developed by Stardock and published by WizardWorks
Side story set around the retrieval of a powerful and ancient artifact
StarCraft: Brood War
30 November 1998
March 1999
Official expansion pack to StarCraft , developed by Blizzard Entertainment and Saffire and released for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS
Game events continue from directly after the original game
Enhanced the gameplay balance of StarCraft ; is used as the base for electronic sports with StarCraft
StarCraft 64
13 June 2000
16 June 2000
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
July 27, 2010
July 27, 2010
Developed by Blizzard Entertainment for Windows and Mac OS X
Continues story from four years after Brood War
Intended as a first part of trilogy, and the title will be focusing on the story of Terrans
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
March 12, 2013
March 12, 2013
Developed by Blizzard Entertainment for Windows and Mac OS X
Intended as a second part of trilogy, and will be the title focusing on the story of Zerg
StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void
November 10, 2015
November 10, 2015
Being developed by Blizzard Entertainment for Windows and Mac OS X
Intended as a third part of trilogy, and will be the title focusing on the story of Protoss
StarCraft: Ghost
Cancelled
Cancelled
Other games
Soundtracks
Title
Release date
Length
Label
StarCraft: Game Music Vol. 1
January 2000
56:49
Net Vision Entertainment
Composed predominantly of tracks inspired by StarCraft and produced by South Korean DJs; a small number of original game tracks composed by Glenn Stafford , Derek Duke , Jason Hayes and Tracy W. Bush were included
Discontinued, previously sold through Blizzard Entertainment's online store
StarCraft Original Soundtrack
10 August 2008
63:34
Azeroth Music
Comprises tracks composed by Glen Stafford, Derek Duke, Jason Hayes and Tracy W. Bush for in-game themes and cut scenes
Released online through iTunes
Title
Release date
ISBN
Media type
StarCraft: Revelations
29 March 1999
—
Short story
StarCraft: Hybrid
Second quarter of 2000
—
Short story
Written by Micky Neilson and published in Amazing Stories magazine
Accompanied by artwork by Samwise Didier
StarCraft: Uprising
18 December 2000
ISBN 978-0-7434-1898-0
Novelization
StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade
1 March 2001
ISBN 978-0-671-04148-9
Novelization
Written by Jeff Grubb and published by Simon & Schuster
Adaptation of the first campaign in StarCraft
StarCraft: Shadow of the Xel'Naga
1 July 2001
ISBN 978-0-671-04149-6
Novelization
Written by Gabriel Mesta and published by Simon & Schuster
Set between StarCraft and Brood War , focusing on the discovery of Xel'Naga artifacts
StarCraft: Speed of Darkness
1 June 2002
ISBN 978-0-671-04150-2
Novelization
Written by Tracy Hickman and published by Simon & Schuster
Side story set in the first campaign in StarCraft , focusing on the lives of individual Confederate marines
StarCraft: Queen of Blades
1 June 2006
ISBN 978-0-7434-7133-6
Novelization
Written by Aaron S. Rosenberg and published by Simon & Schuster
Adaptation of the second campaign in StarCraft
StarCraft Ghost: Nova
28 November 2006
ISBN 978-0-7434-7134-3
Novelization
Written by Keith R.A. DeCandido and published by Simon & Schuster
Set during the first campaign in StarCraft , focuses on the origins of Nova
StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga #1: Firstborn
22 May 2007
ISBN 978-0-7434-7125-1
Novelization
Written by Christie Golden and published by Simon & Schuster
Prequel to StarCraft II , focusing on excavation of Xel'Naga artifacts and Protoss history
The StarCraft Archive
13 November 2007
ISBN 978-1-4165-4929-1
Anthology
Collection of early StarCraft novels, published by Simon & Schuster
Consists of Uprising , Liberty's Crusade , Shadow of the Xel'Naga and Speed of Darkness
StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga #2: Shadow Hunters
27 November 2007
ISBN 978-1-4165-8003-4
Novelization
Written by Christie Golden and published by Simon & Schuster
Prequel to StarCraft II , continuation of storyline begun in Firstborn
StarCraft: Frontline
August 2008
ISBN 978-1-4278-0721-2
Graphic novel
Written by Richard A. Knaak and published by Tokyopop
An anthology of short stories set before StarCraft II exploring the viewpoints of the three main species
StarCraft: I, Mengsk
30 December 2008
ISBN 978-1-4165-5083-9
Novelization
StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga #3: Twilight
30 June 2009
ISBN 978-0-7434-7129-9
Novelization
Written by Christie Golden and published by Simon & Schuster
Prequel to StarCraft II , concludes the story arc of The Dark Templar Saga
StarCraft: Ghost Academy
1 February 2010
ISBN 978-1-4278-1612-2
Graphic novel
Written by Keith R.A. DeCandido with art by Fernando Heinz Furukawa and published by Tokyopop
David Gerrold authored Spanish version
Focuses on the training of Nova as an espionage agent
Two sequential volumes published in February 2010 and March 2011
StarCraft Ghost: Spectres
27 September 2011
ASIN B01K1585DC
Novelization
Written by Nate Kenyon and published by the Pocket Books division of Simon & Schuster
Sequel to StarCraft Ghost: Nova
StarCraft: Evolution
8 November 2016
ISBN 978-0425284735
Novelization
Written by Timothy Zahn
Published by Del Rey
Audiobook narrated by Christopher Ryan Grant and published by Random House Audio
Heaven's Devil's (Starcraft II #1)
6 April 2010
ISBN 9781416550846
Novelization
Written by William C. Dietz
Published by Gallery Books
Audiobook
Devil's Due (Starcraft II #2)
12 April 2011
ISBN 9781416550853
Novelization
Written by Christie Golden
Published by Gallery
Audiobook
Flashpoint (Starcraft II #3)
6 November 2012
ISBN 978-0425284735
Novelization
Written by Christie Golden
Published by Simon & Schuster
Audiobook
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External links