### Starcraft Shooter Rumored to be in Development Amid Blizzard's Tumultuous Past

In the dynamic world of gaming, few companies inspire as much intrigue and speculation as Blizzard Entertainment. Renowned gaming journalist Jason Schreier's forthcoming book, "Play Nice," promises to delve deep into the captivating corporate history of Blizzard. Notably, Schreier confirms that one of Blizzard's long-dormant franchises, Starcraft, may see a rebirth in the form of a shooter, much to the excitement of fans who have been waiting 14 years since the last main title in the series.

In a candid discussion with IGN, Schreier reassured the community that "Starcraft isn't dead." This bold statement came after an interviewer referenced a significant excerpt from the end of his book. According to Schreier, Dan Hay was enlisted to establish a new team at Blizzard, dedicated to reviving Starcraft as a shooter. However, the project faced hurdles when the majority of the team was laid off. Fortunately, a few key members remained to continue "incubating, of all things, a Starcraft shooter."

This isn’t Blizzard’s first attempt to merge the Starcraft universe with the shooter genre. Back in 2006, the company embarked on creating "Starcraft: Ghost," which was eventually shelved. Mike Morhaime, Blizzard's founder, attributed this cancellation to the transition to new generational hardware, leading to an indefinite delay that ultimately never resolved. More recently, another shooter dubbed Project Ares was abandoned in 2019 as Blizzard shifted its focus to flagship titles Overwatch and Diablo 4.

In an insightful conversation last year, former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra hinted at a genre shift for the Starcraft series. According to Schreier's reporting for Bloomberg, Ybarra suggested that the next iteration could venture into new terrain, moving away from real-time strategy (RTS) games. This possible shift is driven by a declining commercial interest in RTS games, in contrast to the billion-dollar expectations Blizzard holds for its future games-as-a-service (GaaS) initiatives.

Adding to the anticipation, Xbox head Phil Spencer recently announced that Starcraft games will be available on Game Pass. Starcraft II, a title that has withstood the test of time, will benefit from this move, sustaining its relevance and possibly paving the way for the rumored shooter to rejuvenate the franchise.

As Blizzard continues to navigate its complexities, the prospect of a Starcraft shooter rekindles hope and excitement among fans eager for the franchise's next chapter.