From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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,[ 1] tabletop games ,[ 2] novelizations , graphic novels , and other literature.[ 3] A variety of toys have also been produced.[ 4] 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.[ 5]
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.[ 6] Combined with its official expansion, Brood War , over 10 million copies of StarCraft have been sold globally.[ 7] StarCraft remains one of the most popular online games in the world;[ 8] Blizzard Entertainment reported an 800 percent increase in Battle.net service usage after the game's release in 1998.[ 9] The original StarCraft and its expansion are particularly popular in South Korea , where a successful eSports scene has been established.[ 10]
Game
Release date
North America
PAL region
StarCraft
31 March 1998[ 11]
31 March 1998[ 11]
StarCraft: Insurrection
31 July 1998[ 15]
31 July 1998[ 15]
Authorized add-on for StarCraft , developed by Aztech New Media[ 1]
Side story based around a minor planet in the series' backstory
StarCraft: Retribution
Late 1998[ 16]
Late 1998[ 16]
Authorized add-on for StarCraft , developed by Stardock and published by WizardWorks [ 1]
Side story set around the retrieval of a powerful and ancient artifact
StarCraft: Brood War
30 November 1998[ 17]
March 1999[ 18]
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 [ 6]
StarCraft 64
13 June 2000[ 19]
16 June 2000[ 19]
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
July 27, 2010[ 22]
July 27, 2010[ 22]
Developed by Blizzard Entertainment for Windows and Mac OS X [ 23]
Continues story from four years after Brood War [ 24]
Intended as a first part of trilogy, and the title will be focusing on the story of Terrans[ 25]
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
March 12, 2013
March 12, 2013
StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void
November 10, 2015
November 10, 2015
StarCraft: Ghost
Cancelled
Cancelled
Title
Release date
ISBN
Media type
StarCraft: Revelations
29 March 1999[ 3]
—
Short story
StarCraft: Hybrid
Second quarter of 2000[ 35]
—
Short story
Written by Micky Neilson and published in Amazing Stories magazine[ 35]
Accompanied by artwork by Samwise Didier
StarCraft: Uprising
18 December 2000[ 36]
ISBN 978-0-7434-1898-0
Novelization
StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade
1 March 2001[ 37]
ISBN 978-0-671-04148-9
Novelization
Written by Jeff Grubb and published by Simon & Schuster[ 37]
Adaptation of the first campaign in StarCraft
StarCraft: Shadow of the Xel'Naga
1 July 2001[ 38]
ISBN 978-0-671-04149-6
Novelization
Written by Gabriel Mesta and published by Simon & Schuster[ 38]
Set between StarCraft and Brood War , focusing on the discovery of Xel'Naga artifacts
StarCraft: Speed of Darkness
1 June 2002[ 39]
ISBN 978-0-671-04150-2
Novelization
Written by Tracy Hickman and published by Simon & Schuster[ 39]
Side story set in the first campaign in StarCraft , focusing on the lives of individual Confederate marines
StarCraft: Queen of Blades
1 June 2006[ 40]
ISBN 978-0-7434-7133-6
Novelization
Written by Aaron S. Rosenberg and published by Simon & Schuster[ 40]
Adaptation of the second campaign in StarCraft
StarCraft Ghost: Nova
28 November 2006[ 41]
ISBN 978-0-7434-7134-3
Novelization
Written by Keith R.A. DeCandido and published by Simon & Schuster[ 41]
Set during the first campaign in StarCraft , focuses on the origins of Nova
StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga #1: Firstborn
22 May 2007[ 42]
ISBN 978-0-7434-7125-1
Novelization
Written by Christie Golden and published by Simon & Schuster[ 42]
Prequel to StarCraft II , focusing on excavation of Xel'Naga artifacts and Protoss history
The StarCraft Archive
13 November 2007[ 43]
ISBN 978-1-4165-4929-1
Anthology
Collection of early StarCraft novels, published by Simon & Schuster[ 43]
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[ 44]
ISBN 978-1-4165-8003-4
Novelization
Written by Christie Golden and published by Simon & Schuster[ 44]
Prequel to StarCraft II , continuation of storyline begun in Firstborn
StarCraft: Frontline
August 2008[ 45]
ISBN 978-1-4278-0721-2
Graphic novel
Written by Richard A. Knaak and published by Tokyopop [ 45]
An anthology of short stories set before StarCraft II exploring the viewpoints of the three main species
StarCraft: I, Mengsk
30 December 2008[ 46]
ISBN 978-1-4165-5083-9
Novelization
StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga #3: Twilight
30 June 2009[ 47]
ISBN 978-0-7434-7129-9
Novelization
Written by Christie Golden and published by Simon & Schuster[ 47]
Prequel to StarCraft II , concludes the story arc of The Dark Templar Saga
StarCraft: Ghost Academy
1 February 2010 [ 48]
ISBN 978-1-4278-1612-2
Graphic novel
Written by Keith R.A. DeCandido with art by Fernando Heinz Furukawa and published by Tokyopop[ 48]
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[ 49]
ASIN B01K1585DC
Novelization
Written by Nate Kenyon and published by the Pocket Books division of Simon & Schuster[ 49]
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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