Starcraft: Ghost in purgatory

Blizzard indefinitely postpones long-awaited shooter; shifts console development focus to next-gen platforms.

Back in the fall of 2002, when current-generation consoles were brand-spanking new and just starting to show what they could do, Blizzard Entertainment announced its first serious foray into console gaming, an action-oriented offshoot to its PC real-time strategy hit Starcraft. The new game, Starcraft: Ghost, was to be developed for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube.

Starcraft: Ghost was originally scheduled for release in 2003, but it endured a series of delays. First it slipped to 2004, and then Blizzard switched developers from Nihilistic Software to Swingin' Ape Studios, pushing the project back to 2005. Things were apparently going well with Ghost, since Blizzard bought out Swingin' Ape in May of 2005, but the game slipped off the 2005 release calendar, and the publisher eventually canned the GameCube edition.

Now the PlayStation 2 and Xbox look like they may be likewise canceled, as Blizzard has announced that it is indefinitely postponing production on Ghost to focus the company's console efforts on next-gen platforms. This doesn't necessarily mean Ghost is headed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or Revolution, however, as Blizzard president and cofounder Mike Morhaime said in a statement.

"Like many in the industry, we've been impressed with the potential of the new consoles, and we're looking forward to exploring that potential further," Morhaime said. "In addition to allowing us to determine the best course for Starcraft: Ghost, this review period will help us lay the groundwork for our future console games."

This might not come as much of a surprise to fans of the company. A Blizzard product catalog that shipped with its massively multiplayer online game World of Warcraft over a year ago proclaimed that Ghost was "Coming soon to next-generation consoles." At the time, a Blizzard representative told GameSpot that the catalog listing was wrong and that the game was not going to make the next-gen jump.

GameSpot will have more on Ghost's future and Blizzard's next-gen console plans as they come to light.

229 Comments

  • vaskaville

    Posted Jan 21, 2009 4:38 pm PT

    It's canceled!! NNNNNNNNOOOOOooooooo!!!!

  • brian_13un

    Posted Sep 6, 2008 1:20 am PT

    ITS CANCELLED!!!!

  • brian_13un

    Posted Sep 6, 2008 1:20 am PT

    ITS CANCELLED!!!!

  • siberian7

    Posted Aug 16, 2008 5:48 pm PT

  • Futil1ty

    Posted May 25, 2008 8:34 pm PT

    GIVE ME MY GHOST!
    Even though I don't want it anymore, seeing as there are other awesome games.

  • Melodium

    Posted Dec 6, 2007 10:01 am PT

    This game is one of the main reasons why I wanted to get a PS2. Highly anticipating its release and haunting Gamespot for any good news on Ghosts development and slowly realizing that it will never be released, for the PS2 anyway. Since Blizzard is in the works of releasing Starcraft 2, there is bound to be a Ghost release and others like it in the future just not for the consoles we originally planned so that should shed some light on what could have been a classic.

  • person2

    Posted Nov 18, 2007 3:58 pm PT

    i was so disappointed when this was cancelled, i would still be playing it today if it came out

  • littlejj

    Posted May 28, 2007 9:06 pm PT

    All i can realy say about this is i was there and they told me it come out like march of 2006 but sundly disappeard i must be completly honest when i say, Good Ridence. My opinion is simply that blizzard should stay out of any 3rd person shooters like this and stay with there rpgs and strategy games. I will say that a FPS would be kinda cool but as a marine instead, would much funner.

  • jpri26

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:00 pm PT

    I'm amazed people are still posting on this game....regardless of whether SC2 is actually coming out

  • Leemayn

    Posted May 23, 2007 11:35 am PT

    This was probably a better idea back when it was conceived, before six million stealth action games came out. What probably happened- and this theory is supported by the gradual, infrequent timing of the Ghost changes and press releases- is that Blizzard realized with every successive Splinter Cell or whatever that Ghost had nothing innovative in comparison to offer except eye candy.

    I don't get why "Blizzard fans" can put on their Zerg jammies, climb into their bed under an orc-hut canopy, and then cry themselves to sleep over Blizzard cancelling a bad game. People: You ARE Blizzard fans because they only release good games. Considering that development started in 2002, it's not too much of a stretch to think that all the stealth, action, and stealth/action games since then- games in every franchise from Tom Clancy to Thief to NOLF- took away the innovative angles that Blizzard thought they had nailed down 5 years ago.

  • yohanjr

    Posted Apr 3, 2007 10:40 am PT

    world of warcraft IS TOTAL RUBBISH (MONEY WISE) WHY HAVE 15 DOLLARS WHEN U CAN PULL A GUILDWARS AND HAVE ONLINE PLAY FREE

  • maggon_rohit

    Posted Feb 28, 2007 12:32 am PT

    Cant the fans do anything to tell people at blizzard to resurrect this project

  • eliwoodx

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 2:55 pm PT

    I can't believe tha tthey just dropped this. imagine all the money and work people put into this just to have it drop into purgatory. I'd be pissed. hell, i am pissed. why blizzard, why?!?

  • Digital_DJ_00

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 9:39 pm PT

    I guess this means the game lives up to its name; Ghost. I can't believe they'll waste 6 years on this p.o.s. but they won't make plans for Diablo 3 or Starcraft 2.... Plus I'm getting really tired of Blizzard going on a Warcraft binge when they should be making other games, cuz not ALL Blizzard fans enjoy World of Warcraft...

  • minime78362

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 4:57 am PT

    I don't want to play it now. I'll stick to regular Starcraft/Brood Wars.

  • ZeroTae

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 2:50 am PT

    Yeah lol... long time dont see that name

  • djsaskdja

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 7:40 pm PT

    lol, I remember when the Wii was the Revolution, those were the good old days.

  • taggerung000

    Posted Dec 13, 2006 7:56 pm PT

    actually it sounds like it wont come out for xbox or ps2 now...

  • MC_Qiz

    Posted Nov 28, 2006 1:40 pm PT

    if starcraft comes out on the X360, it'll be the next game i get

  • evanparker2134

    Posted Aug 15, 2006 2:31 pm PT

    I was hyped about this game... when it was first announced. Now, four years have passed and it might end up being five or six. After six years, technology has improved, and you can't just release the same thing you've been working on for so many years.

  • Iropan

    Posted Aug 6, 2006 6:02 pm PT

    And it may or may not finally get here, but if it does, it'll still be just one game. Not worth all the years of hype. Ridiculous.

  • metroid_dragon

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 9:52 am PT

    Nah, Starcraft Ghost was looking to be a great game, and I'm still hopeful that it'll come out on next Gen systems. It would ahve been nice to see everything in the Starcraft universe on a personal level, like WoW did with the Warcraft universe.

  • minime78362

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 6:11 pm PT

    I can't wait for this game to get Fully Canceled.
    I love Starcraft,and all that good stuff,but this game,just doesn't seem all that good.
    Make Starcraft 2 instead,and I'll be happy.

  • Eadara

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 8:04 pm PT

    In all honesty it's not that surpising. It's not the fact that blizzard has a track record of delays but it's the fact that blizzard has a track record of polish.

    They want you to be playing this game for years to come and if they release it on a inferior system then that won't be possible.

  • ewjim

    Posted Jul 8, 2006 1:08 pm PT

    Is this a joke?! I think they already playing in it themselfs!

  • MarcusOfLycea

    Posted Jul 6, 2006 8:24 pm PT

    Great, another delay. The only reason I wanted to play it really was to find out what else happened in the story.

    Hey Blizzard, I love WoW, but honestly. Starcraft was amazing. You know how many fans you've pissed off? I don't think you do, or you don't care... this really gets on my nerves. I want Starcraft 2! The warcraft series story was okay, but I love Starcraft. It was amazing! I still play it!

    Well... now I feel better... after complaining

  • Unkillable

    Posted Jul 6, 2006 7:10 pm PT

    They have to jump start this some time.... I just hope it's soon enough.

    Blizzard better save it's ass, and omfg make SC2 already, damn.

  • BattleOfficer

    Posted Jun 18, 2006 5:48 pm PT

    Dead rush and now Starcraft Ghost, only good game get canceled

  • neoteny

    Posted Jun 13, 2006 6:52 pm PT

    I cant believe they put another rain check on this. stop fixating on the damn game so i can step back...take a breath of fresh air...and savor the moments knowing that i dont have to anticipate anything from blizzard. and i thought the delay with doom3 was bad. what a freak show. why dont you follow Ed Boone's example with his last title. I QUIT! you KLOWNS!!!! where's my beer...
    i'll check back in another six years...

  • neoteny

    Posted Jun 13, 2006 6:17 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Jun 4, 2006 6:03 pm PT

    grrrr

  • Americandude313

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 8:18 pm PT

    It seems that blizzard has shifted focus to designing MMORPGS which i have no problem with, so in that case make world of starcraft and i will drop my WOW acount and switch the very day of release.

  • portujoel5

    Posted May 31, 2006 4:47 pm PT

    well, after 3 announcements of delay, what more could be expected? i think blizzard's dried out. After Diablo II, Starcraft and Warcraft Series, i dont think they could improve themselves..... Sadly, they haven't

  • lannyboy334

    Posted May 16, 2006 3:06 pm PT

    can't say i have been totally peeing my pance for ghost, and as many others had second thought about any release date for the game, but why cancel? a freaking 4 year old game! CANCEL! NO! please blizzard, we need more stinking starcraft!

  • phoenixrod

    Posted May 12, 2006 11:25 pm PT

    don't really know how to edit messages, but another thing. If Blizzard says that there is still hope for the game, and not try to port the existing game to next gen a month ago, then they are really screwed up.

  • phoenixrod

    Posted May 12, 2006 11:21 pm PT

    Ok ok, this is bull. Blizzard better do this.

    Once PS3 and the wii comes out, it's judgement day. Release the game or cancel the game.

  • baljanus

    Posted May 11, 2006 10:24 am PT

    Pff i don't care if it's ever comming out on the consoles i wanna have it on my PC Starcraft just ownes. It was the first game i ever played.

  • boyyo

    Posted May 10, 2006 9:22 pm PT

    Ohh Blizzard, I have cursed you and blessed you so many times in my life. It's hard to believe that I've been playin StarCraft for almost 10 years, and still no more trips to the starcraft universe.

    Why do they keep messing with our emotions!! Why won't they tell us what they're doing. At this point all us hardcore SC heads deserve it. We've sat back and watched game after game come out for warcraft, and diablo with little or no talk of another StarCraft!!

    I just think Blizzard owes us StarCraft fans a little bit more info.

  • ZEELIX

    Posted May 6, 2006 5:27 pm PT

    itll kick @## no doubt. when a game is delayed it has more time to be developed etc. i mean look at ninja gaiden.
    and if its on 360 or ps3 it will be even better obviously.
    im glade its delayed. i hate having games that are worth a 6 come out every 3 years.

    btw hailth saying its another halo or splinter cell is totally lame. you want another stupid "warcraft" game. wh? cuz all you like is what an rts.
    what you just sayed is one of the most hypocritical things ive heard.
    besides all you do in an rts is wait and click in areas for a mouse. lol
    you cant say that rts's are everything. we all like diferent stuff..

  • Metroid_Huntr

    Posted May 5, 2006 6:08 pm PT

    I....AM.....CRUSHED......I would've bought the game no matter how shoddy it was (and it didn't even look that bad - did u SEE the footage of that zerg assault on that terran base??!!) If they don't finish this project I'll find them all and end their lives - it's that simple.

  • Hailth

    Posted Apr 26, 2006 9:23 pm PT

    Simply put: You should not be sad about this. It was like some cross between a shooter and a stealth. There's always gonna be the next Halo and the next Splinter Cell.

    If you were excited about this game... why? You should have been angry about it. The best thing Blizzard can do is keep this in the trash, and make Starcraft 2. Starcraft is their best game, WoW pretends to be number one because of the addiction to the RPG style. But to be able to play an RTS loyally for 10 years, which many people do... that's an accomplishment. WoW will not be forever, like most RPG's, once you reach the top level, beat all the quests, kick all the asses in pking and guild wars or whatever- it's over. All that's left is to be the champion of the game, but for most of us that will not happen, there is always someone without a job or a life in a basement with an IV jammed into themselves so they never need to stop playing WoW.

    To both Starcraft and Warcraft, there is no end, especially with custom maps on UMS. It's like a whole new game within and there are a lot of good ones out there. When you log onto b.net, you're not just gettin access to a multiplayer version of the game, but thousands of good games that are like HL2 mods and stuff. Starcraft > Warcraft, but Warcraft's ability for more complete conversions has a serious edge over Starcraft. All Blizz needs to do is re-do the RTS engine, all new beautiful graphics that are way good like a pretty FPS. Then add in the customizability(not a real word but you know what I mean) of Warcraft to their awesome map editor so you can have like full conversion modding of the game and you have a GREAT game. It wouldn't even be a very long project as long as you have focus.

  • zirron

    Posted Apr 23, 2006 3:41 am PT

    Base on the best selling starcraft and broodwar, i do't think starcraft name will just been gone like that, bilzzard will come out a good game like starcraft 2 or still maintaining the startcaft ghost project.

    we already wait for all these year, i think we can wait more...)

  • BT45

    Posted Apr 11, 2006 11:38 am PT

    Well i knew that it would be cancled in some way. Beacuse that they were allways delaing it! But i have some good news for you guys! and that is that i am making new Campanion for Terran, Zerg and Prottos. And this isent some stupid maps thease will be with voices (it is me who is speaking) eksplosjions and many triggers. It will be the continuation of starcraft. Like what happend to Jim Raynor, what happend to the eksperiment witch SAmir Duran made and what survived of the UED. But i cant make a film at the end or when you have compleatet the campanions but i have made a map witch is youst like a movie. And i am making a Mod on Warcraft III witch is youst like Starcraft. Thease things will be realeased on my webside with is son finished and ready. If you want to know more Send me a message.

  • PackersRock

    Posted Apr 11, 2006 5:10 am PT

    Wow, what a surprise.

  • faceman420

    Posted Apr 10, 2006 2:12 pm PT

    would've prolly been mediocre neway from the looks of it...

  • Jir11

    Posted Apr 9, 2006 10:38 pm PT

    A lot of ppl are waiting for this game. The least they can do is just finish it and ship it out.

  • LiquidSnake3

    Posted Apr 8, 2006 10:40 pm PT

    Damn, this coming out is as likely as a little league team winning the MLB world series. IT JUST WONT HAPPEN!!!!!

  • pepechidoone

    Posted Apr 8, 2006 1:56 pm PT

    nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, i think they won't take it out ¬¬

  • dav_hell

    Posted Apr 8, 2006 11:25 am PT

    It'll Better be worth the extra wait. Damn you Bastards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • vashvsgoku

    Posted Apr 8, 2006 10:31 am PT

    was anybody even excited about this game anymore? i just figured that it went the perfect dark zero way (switched platforms too many times, and still released unpolished). if this game comes out still, it will suck.

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