Warcraft RTS "is Possible" Once Starcraft 2 is Done
If you've been waiting for Warcraft 4, you're still going to be waiting.
This article first appeared on USgamer, a partner publication of VG247. Some content, such as this article, has been migrated to VG247 for posterity after USgamer's closure - but it has not been edited or further vetted by the VG247 team.
Back in 1994, Blizzard Entertainment developed and released Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. A year later, it released Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness and expanded that title in 1996 with Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal; these latter games set up the Warcraft universe, leading to the eventual creation of World of Warcraft. In 1998, Blizzard followed the Warcraft series up with Starcraft.
While Starcraft enjoyed enough popularity overseas for Blizzard to make developing Starcraft II a priority, the Warcraft RTS series has been dead since 2003's release of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. (2004's World of Warcraft may have had something to do with that.) Warcraft III is the grandfather of the entire MOBA genre, with the original Defense of the Ancients being a mod for that title. So where is Warcraft IV?
Blizzard is wrapping up Starcraft II with the final chapter, Legacy of the Void, coming this year. Does that mean a Warcraft revival might be on the horizon?
"It's very rewarding for us to hear that there's demand out there for more RTS content in the Warcraft universe so once we're done with Void, I think we'll get together as a team and talk about what would inspire us to work on next. There's no question, though, that we'll consider Warcraft, StarCraft, or even new ideas. Anything is possible," Starcraft II producer Tim Morten told IGN.
Of course, is there anything a Warcraft IV would actually bring to the genre, outside of a different coat of paint on Starcraft II? Another Warcraft RTS needs a reason to exist. World of Warcraft takes care of the lore side, so Warcraft IV would have to rethink what an RTS game is in the modern era. Alternatively, Warcraft IV and World of Warcraft could dovetail together, telling the same story on two different fronts year-to-year. Hell, that might even improve WoW's current subscriber dip.
Morton's statement only confirms the possibility of more Warcraft. The team could move right on to Starcraft III, another RTS, or a completely different project. Blizzard is playing fun and fancy free these days with Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch, so the Starcraft II team could explore another genre entirely. Sorry, it's so cold out there for you, Warcraft RTS fans.