List of StarCraft media

Source: 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]

Games

Video games

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

Other games

Game Release date Media type
StarCraft Adventures July 2000[30] Role-playing game
StarCraft: The Board Game October 2007[2] Board game

Soundtracks

Title Release date Length Label
StarCraft: Game Music Vol. 1 January 2000[32] 56:49 Net Vision Entertainment
  • Composed predominantly of tracks inspired by StarCraft and produced by South Korean DJs; a small number of original game tracks composed by Glenn Stafford, Derek Duke, Jason Hayes and Tracy W. Bush were included[32]
  • Discontinued, previously sold through Blizzard Entertainment's online store
StarCraft Original Soundtrack 10 August 2008[33] 63:34 Azeroth Music
  • Comprises tracks composed by Glen Stafford, Derek Duke, Jason Hayes and Tracy W. Bush for in-game themes and cut scenes[34]
  • Released online through iTunes[33]

Printed media

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

Other media

Title Release date Media type
StarCraft Battle Chest 31 December 1999[50] Video game compilation
StarCraft Cinematics DVD First quarter of 2001[52] Cinematic cut scene collection
Heroes of the Storm 2 June 2015[53] Video game
  • Developed by Blizzard Entertainment for Windows and Mac OS X
  • The game features over 15 characters from the StarCraft universe as playable heroes, as well as two Starcraft-themed battlegrounds: Braxis Holdout and Warhead Junction.[54]

References

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  2. ^ a b c "StarCraft". Fantasy Flight Games. Archived from the original on 2008-06-02. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  3. ^ a b c "StarCraft is an Amazing Story". IGN. 1999-03-23. Archived from the original on February 21, 2002. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  4. ^ "Blizzard tackles toys". IGN. 1998-11-22. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
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  25. ^ "Press Release". StarCraft: Ghost. Blizzard Entertainment. 2002-09-20. Archived from the original on 2002-10-04. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
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  27. ^ Kahney, Leander (2015-08-15). "Vaporware: Better Late Than Never". Wired News. CondéNet. Retrieved 2014-09-23.
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  33. ^ "StarCraft Original Soundtrack". Music4Games. 2007-09-04. Archived from the original on 2008-02-24. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
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  46. ^ a b "StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga #3: Twilight (Mass Market Paperback)". Simon & Schuster. Retrieved 2008-09-07.[dead link]
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  52. ^ "Heroes of the Storm Patch Notes – June 2, 2015". Blizzard Entertainment. Retrieved 2019-09-02.
  53. ^ "Heroes of the Storm is getting swarmed by StarCraft stuff this month". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 16, 2018.

External links