Nexon’s Next StarCraft Game Could Be a Shooter, Not an RTS, as BlizzCon 2026 Rumors Intensify
Blizzard Entertainment kicked off 2026 with a structured set of franchise spotlights for its biggest live pillars, mapping out what players should expect next across World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Diablo. The Hearthstone segment is next on the calendar via the official stream, and while that keeps Blizzard’s core live service engines in the spotlight, one franchise stands out by its absence: StarCraft.
That absence would not normally be news, because StarCraft has been dormant for years in terms of new releases. But it becomes notable when stacked against the recent wave of reporting that suggests StarCraft may be preparing for a return, and potentially not in the genre most fans expect. When talk surfaced in 2025 that Nexon had been linked to a future StarCraft project, many assumed the safest and most commercially logical route would be another real time strategy entry, especially given how deeply the RTS genre is embedded in Korean PC culture and competitive gaming legacy.
The latest wrinkle is that a new report from The Korea Economic Daily appears to point toward Nexon’s StarCraft project being developed inside what is described as the company’s shooter focused organization. If accurate, that is a major directional signal: it suggests the project may not be an RTS at all, and could align with the separate rumor cycle that has been building around a StarCraft third person shooter reveal at BlizzCon 2026.
This is where the connective tissue gets interesting. The shooter rumor has been framed in other reporting as something that could be positioned as a marquee announcement at BlizzCon 2026, which Blizzard has teased as a major comeback event. BlizzCon is officially scheduled for September 12, 2026 and September 13, 2026, meaning the timing window for a reveal is very real. If Nexon is indeed building a shooter set in the StarCraft universe, it raises a strategic possibility that Blizzard could be treating StarCraft’s next chapter as a broader reboot of the IP through a more mainstream genre, one that can scale across console and PC audiences with a modern live service friendly production model.
That said, this story needs disciplined framing. Blizzard has not officially confirmed any new StarCraft game. What exists today is a convergence of signals: StarCraft missing from the early 2026 spotlight schedule, ongoing public hints that BlizzCon 2026 will be a major moment, and layered third party reporting that points to a shooter revival. The Korea Economic Daily report adds a fresh angle by implying Nexon’s involvement may be directly tied to that shooter concept rather than a traditional RTS continuation.
The biggest strategic risk, if this is the direction Blizzard and partners pursue, is brand expectation management. StarCraft is one of the most identity locked strategy franchises in gaming history. Moving to a shooter can absolutely work, especially if Blizzard wants to expand the universe and modernize engagement, but it also risks leaving core RTS fans feeling like the franchise’s roots are being sidelined. The counter argument is equally strong: a shooter revival could reintroduce StarCraft to a broader audience, build new lore momentum, and potentially fund a future RTS return once the IP is commercially revalidated.
If the reports are accurate, the real question is not whether a StarCraft shooter can exist. Blizzard has tried and canceled multiple shooter concepts in the past. The question is whether this time the publisher has aligned the production model, leadership, and long term franchise roadmap well enough to actually ship it, and whether Nexon is the execution partner that can help push it across the finish line.
If StarCraft returns as a third person shooter before any new RTS, would you be excited for a fresh direction, or would you rather Blizzard prioritize a true StarCraft RTS successor first?
