StarCraft is coming back in 2030. Just not as StarCraft 3. Blizzard stopped paid StarCraft 2 content in 2020, and the developers who wanted a new RTS left to found Frost Giant. Meanwhile Age of Empires 2, a game from 1999, kept selling new DLC year after year.
This is the case: who killed StarCraft 3, and why AoE 2 never needed a sequel.
Who do you blame? And would you buy a real StarCraft 3 today? Tell me in the comments.
CHAPTERS
00:00 BlizzCon 2026: StarCraft returns, but not as an RTS
01:14 Why everyone expected StarCraft 3
02:53 StarCraft 2 was a hit. So what went wrong?
04:19 The StarCraft graveyard inside Blizzard
06:46 October 2020: the week the team walked out
08:38 Frost Giant and Stormgate
11:12 Microsoft buys Blizzard, StarCraft returns in 2030
13:33 The other timeline: Age of Empires 2
15:44 The cracks in AoE 2
17:30 Who killed StarCraft 3?
18:41 Your turn
Join as a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzq27qDxKwg5sAgd4OK8UAw/join
Discord: https://discord.gg/AcGBzwkAPz
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/negodramaaoe
Portuguese channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NegoDramaAoE
SOURCES
Blizzard, StarCraft II Update, Oct 15 2020: https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/starcraft2/23544726/starcraft-ii-update-october-15-2020
Jason Schreier, “Play Nice” (2024), via Kotaku: https://kotaku.com/blizzard-play-nice-overwatch-warcraft-diablo-call-duty-1851660909/3
PC Gamer: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/key-blizzard-developers-apparently-tried-for-years-to-get-a-new-starcraft-or-warcraft-rts-off-the-ground-but-execs-had-no-appetite-for-them/
Game Informer, BlizzCon 2026: https://gameinformer.com/blizzcon-2026/2026/09/12/blizzard-reveals-starcraft-open-world-shooter-targeting-2030-launch
Game World Observer (Jason Hall): https://gameworldobserver.com/2023/11/10/starcraft-2-made-less-money-than-wow-mount-blizzard-jason-hall
Insider Gaming (Nexon): https://insider-gaming.com/blizzard-could-sell-starcraft-ip-to-nexon/
Game Developer (Frost Giant): https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/frost-giant-ceo-tim-morten-says-layoffs-are-possible-after-stormgate-underperforms
Kotaku (Stormgate offline): https://kotaku.com/stormgate-rts-patch-offline-mode-after-server-provider-ditches-them-for-ai-2000683998
Kotaku (World’s Edge): https://kotaku.com/age-of-empires-worlds-edge-microsoft-layoffs-activision-cancellation-2000736914
PCGamesN: https://www.pcgamesn.com/age-of-empires-2-definitive-edition/new-civs
Age of Empires, Celebrating Age in 2026: https://www.ageofempires.com/news/celebrating-age-in-2026-where-were-at-and-where-were-going/
Steam player counts: https://steamcharts.com/app/813780 https://steamcharts.com/app/2012510
FOOTAGE CREDITS
Footage used as commentary and criticism; all rights remain with their owners.
StarCraft: https://youtu.be/VSGmPpidDvo https://youtu.be/C_E83GfWM-A https://youtu.be/OUMSMDX5iQc https://youtu.be/8UyMAPr-G44 https://youtu.be/RTUBNoD1SDA https://youtu.be/yaqeZ9Snt4E https://youtu.be/vCsGTP3-Jlw
Age of Empires: https://youtu.be/NJCdnvsCr5s https://youtu.be/g22QzcMTAq0 https://youtu.be/Yh6iaK308-0 https://youtu.be/JkDP_LHrOAs https://youtu.be/tc5CL6ioDY0 https://youtu.be/xZUew5q4EFU
XBOX: https://youtu.be/JnSz03BHv6w https://youtu.be/fCcRNUlE7ek https://youtu.be/Ovt7d34_hRA
SC2HL: https://youtu.be/2e1X8BD3yF8 https://youtu.be/dO-mW3YhgVY https://youtu.be/UK2BeXmiyYc
T90Official – Age Of Empires 2: https://youtu.be/bqd0n0whQvM https://youtu.be/mLXcdcMh2mA https://youtu.be/5p66i6cJkIs
GameTrailers: https://youtu.be/oc3Abwefsds https://youtu.be/aWg-gRBFm_k
aoe2 nl – Age of Empires 2: https://youtu.be/M4ErSjeqGI8 https://youtu.be/23rxiNtv_v8
GameSpot: https://youtu.be/nyMlLzwFqWA https://youtu.be/Ujq_KFriCQY
Frost Giant Studios: https://youtu.be/oKKoiHeJV_4 https://youtu.be/lSroUxCsBAQ
Red Bull Esports: https://youtu.be/f_gvLhn_CQ4 https://youtu.be/-yTNOd4bAQk
Blizzard Entertainment: https://youtu.be/-00uQzXyujI
157GOLIATH: https://youtu.be/5VsdKesdaKs
XD Deals: https://youtu.be/69L1Ramjidw
BlizzardTrailers: https://youtu.be/NK7ubMi6AFs
GameSpot Trailers: https://youtu.be/qjXeLa-kMsc
Warcraft 3: https://youtu.be/72UbFQO5-m0
Diablo: https://youtu.be/HukrLKMCz1I
NachoUnlimited: https://youtu.be/E-pRIq2tUKk
SOOP esports EN: https://youtu.be/HIpLl2W2chg
BlizzardEN: https://youtu.be/K1bQuMnMqKY
Heroes of the Storm: https://youtu.be/0ecv0bT9DEo
XBOX México: https://youtu.be/Zjf4PqeK-Ng
Kevin Kray: https://youtu.be/wtOxx2zixrQ
Nili_AoE – Age of Empires: https://youtu.be/SA5QEkpdfw0
Silent Mode: https://youtu.be/cmJG8WNMFvo
MinnMax: https://youtu.be/wqZGP_GUcbw
NeoWork: https://youtu.be/ybFBt_TOCFk
Harstem: https://youtu.be/20Wlg0rwn8c
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