Confirmed: No Starcraft II in 2007

Blizzard VP confirms to MSNBC that the recently unveiled real-time strategy sequel won't arrive until at least 10 years after the original.

When Blizzard Entertainment unveiled Starcraft II earlier this month, the reaction among the original fans was apoplectic. Though the game's official release date remains "when it's ready," there was some hope that it might arrive by the end of the year.

Starcraft II

Producer Chris Sigaty pimps his RTS.

Such sentiments came in part from a GameSpot video interview with lead producer Chris Sigaty. In it, he said that Blizzard usually takes "three and a half or four years to finish a game" and that Starcraft II would enter alpha testing later in the year. Since the company has publicly said that Starcraft II had been in development since 2003, that led some to believe the game could come in 2007.

Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. Speaking with MSNBC, Blizzard vice president of game design Rob Pardo ruled out any possibility that Starcraft II would join the crush of titles coming out this holiday season.

When asked about the game's release date, Pardo said, "The only thing I can give you [that's] concrete is it's not going to be this year. Some people were hoping, because of how advanced the game looks, that we'd have it out by Christmas, but that's definitely not happening."

Pardo also dropped a hint at the scale of Blizzard's future plans, saying that the 40 developers working on Starcraft II are "one of the smaller teams." Job listings on the Blizzard site have indicated it is working on a "next-gen MMO"--which the company said will not be another World of Warcraft. Also, rumors persist that Diablo III is in development.

336 Comments

  • Dwarf86

    Posted May 10, 2008 4:20 am PT

    Not to long ago did i get an email from GameSpots Newsletter in it said that SC2's release date was 10-1-2008!!!!!! yet that may be false but im willing to bet that it will come out around that time or directly on it!!!!!! PLEASE BE OUT BE4 09!!!!!!!!!!

  • illuminatirexx

    Posted Oct 1, 2007 7:36 pm PT

    Believe me, You do not need to know ...You just want it

  • Scotty678923

    Posted Aug 28, 2007 7:12 pm PT

    When is starcaft 2 coming out I cant whate for it I need to know theis things!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Lightz39

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 6:50 pm PT

    misterinsane06 if there is a patch for it in the first week is that a bad thing? That means they care about something other then WoW and want to fix it.

  • Zkeptik

    Posted Jul 7, 2007 9:37 pm PT

    New units, updated graphics... Is that it? I'm not trying to be a jerk but the game doesn't really look that different from its predecessor. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I don't know how many times I have wished for the ability to zoom out (in the original) but it doesn't feel like that big of a reason to upgrade my hardware to the latest and greatest.

    Take your time Blizz.

  • reverberate

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 6:15 pm PT

    better off you take your time instead of rushing starcraft 2 like some people do with other games

  • 934400

    Posted Jun 20, 2007 8:10 am PT

    It would be nice if it came out this year (2007).

  • Psycho3441

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 9:38 pm PT

    I want it now...

  • Puchufo

    Posted Jun 16, 2007 5:12 pm PT

    We have to wait, but is not a problem. A game like this one need a lot of time to be ready and it need to survive another 10 years. By the way, i want it now, cant wait another year.

  • Barnman2205

    Posted Jun 14, 2007 2:11 am PT

    As long as this game actually does come out (StarCraft Ghost, anyone?) I am prepared to give Blizzard as much time as they need. From what we've seen so far, StarCraft II looks worth the wait.

  • dragoon_135

    Posted Jun 12, 2007 12:47 pm PT

    and i was really waiting for this game to come out, i really enjoyed first StarCraft . i love RTS games

  • misterinsane06

    Posted Jun 10, 2007 10:06 pm PT

    10 bucks says theres gonna be a patch for it within the first week of its release.


    "sucks..."

  • keymaster7

    Posted Jun 10, 2007 9:33 am PT

    Star Craft 2 MMO, thats nice, and Diablo 3, cant wait, wont be out in 2007, disappointing.

  • BurnThisCity

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 9:20 pm PT

    Wow, they are doing this once again. 7 Years ago when I first started playing SCBW people told me not to get it because SCII was going to come out soon. Of course, that was false. Now they are telling us they aren't going to release it in 2k7, which is, once again, letting all its fans down. I am not going to give a f about this game anymore! Shattered my heart! :X

  • Anthony__James

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 8:29 am PT

    Meh...*shrug* such news should be met with shrugs all around. : ) There are too many great games to even keep track of, and I'm not about to fixate on any one. However, all of the news updates I read about this delayed release seemed to be written by nerds who sounded almost joyous to be delivering this bad news. As if certain geek journalists get off on taking the jelly out of people's doughnuts with a negative message aimed at fans. - Kinda silly. As for Blizzard and their pompus " When it's done " mantra: Take as long as you want with it, guys, ; ) - 'cause I'll be *ahem* 'Acquiring' it either way.... " When its done." : )

  • Arganancer

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 6:16 pm PT

    oh man, i was so stoked about this, n now, well, im still rly stoked haha!
    But srly, when I first saw the gameplay, i was literally drooling on myself, and i know for a fact that pretty much every other starcraft/blizzard fans had the same reaction. Im kindof glad that SC2 isnt coming out soon b-cuz it would be overpowering the urge 2 play halo3, assassins creed, n other such games who will all one day bow down to the excellence of SC2

  • good_evil

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 10:54 am PT

    Yes, i had the same experience. It's kind a strange, that GS is triggering the feeling of SC fans XD

  • liudab

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 2:44 am PT

    I checked that starcraft "Release Date:Apr 1, 1998"
    Maybe starcraft II will be 10 years later.
    Maybe Apr 1, 2008?
    And the former comment of mine,it is a really thing i met.
    This comment is just guess the Release Date.

  • liudab

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 2:35 am PT

    One day(maybe May 28 ), I had seen a e-mail from gamespot.
    The attachment of the e-mail show me "Release Date: 2008-10-1".
    But I had login gamespot later,then "Release Date: TBA"
    Did anyone have the same experience?
    Did you believe that the starcraft II will come in 2008-10-01?

  • EchoSae

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 7:59 pm PT

    Keep your balls down, it shouldn't be that shocking as to reverse puberty.

  • spmfd02

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 11:32 am PT

    Starcraft came out in 1998 so I have heard that it is planned to be released for sure on the tenth anniversary so this delay doesn't surprise me too much

  • sparten1012

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 10:33 pm PT

    finale how many years old was starcraft. I hope its as good as the first was (for its time)

  • Oyobear

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 11:40 am PT

    If it's not coming out this year then why announce it at all? Got my hopes up for nothing. Now I'll have to wait.

  • Srinivassa

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 10:57 am PT

    Dammit! Is it coming out before Star Craft: Ghost, at least?

  • vhag_ihnak

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 7:28 am PT

    Typical Blizzard. A signature in the industry. Well... I'll still wait for this fantastic title

  • Canez69

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 7:17 am PT

    fck that starcraft all the way baby!!!

  • Aeisae

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 5:22 am PT

    lol linksfire sounds like he's smoking something good .

  • linksfire

    Posted Jun 3, 2007 6:58 pm PT

    i think blizzard should put this starcraft n warcraft stuff on the back burner n get workin on diablo 3 cause there are prolly more people out there that wanna see diablo 3 more than starcraft of warcraft

  • will98499

    Posted Jun 3, 2007 12:42 pm PT

    Unfortunate how this news played out. Oh well. It's still nice to know that we probably won't see it this year, and since Blizzard always makes their games to top quality, yeah...
    The programmers of the game have a good estimate when the game will come out, however, that's assuming everything goes well.
    You never know when some fertilizer will hit the ventilator [think of a picture of that] so even their estimates can easily go wrong when one obstacle hits the way.

    Most of the time, games are rushed upon release. They aren't finished as much as the developers want them to be. Well. Blizzard refuses to fall into this trap, so they won't put a release time until they are 100% sure that they are ready for it.

  • BaTmAnX92

    Posted Jun 3, 2007 11:02 am PT

    CowbellFanatic, I'm not entirely sure when its coming out. No one is, not even Blizzard. It just makes sense to me, I know it dosn't make sense to others. It could come out Early Winter of 2008, Spring 2008, Summer 2008, Fall 2008, or come out just in time for the holidays, but we just don't know. Everyone has a guess of the release, and my guess is April 2008. Its looking great, and it can get better in 10 months time. So come on Blizzard! Tell us the release date so we don't have to argue and crap, =)

  • CowbellFanatic

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 8:36 pm PT

    Batman, your reasoning isn't really all that great. Sure it'd be cool if it came out in the same month ten years after Starcraft, but just because one game did (which wasn't even a sequel so much as a spinoff), doesn't mean Starcraft 2 will. From the way Blizzard is sounding, I'm gonna put my guess at Fall 2008.

  • BaTmAnX92

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 8:11 pm PT

    It makes sense to me, I don't know why it dosn't to others. Think WoW for a moment. It came out 2004. Now, when did Warcraft come out. 1994. Look at other games that have big sequels to them and tell me that they arn't on big anniversaries. Diablo 2 wasn't, but still. Starcraft 2 is a big sequel. So next year, since Starcraft came out in 1998, it will be 10 years of Starcraft, and what a better way than to release a big sequel to it on the anniversary. My guess of the release date is honestly early April 2008. Starcraft came out April 1, '98. But, when it comes out, is whenever Blizz decides to release it. I'm still hyped about it and I can't wait.

  • liudab

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 5:47 pm PT

    it make me sad

  • GoldenBlackness

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 4:36 pm PT

    That's...kind of a downer.

  • redvodka

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 11:26 am PT

    Hey guys, at least Blizzard takes the time to polish their games. I am willing to wait. Unlike some other companies i know, namely a company that starts with At**i that came up with the technically bad 1.0 version, sequel of a RPG game that i loved so much that is based on the D&D universe.


    Oh come on guys! I'm talking abt NWN2!!!

  • -DaNuTz-

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 10:43 am PT

    ohhhh to bad it's really disappointing .... i lost all my interest about this game now

  • crazygunner2

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 7:51 am PT

    I can wait for SC2 as long as they keep me updated on whats happening in the game ^_^

  • Ninja99

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 5:49 am PT

    Disappointing, if not unexpected. The wait will be well worth it, of course.

  • TurambarGS

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 5:02 am PT

    I think Christmas 2008... but as has been said - take as much time as needed to make it truly great (which they said they're doing anyway ). Meanwhile, another pay-to-subscribe MMO, ergh... yuk... the bad taste in my mouth is horrendous. Give me something to cut my teeth on for Pete's sake, not another 'appeal to as broad a cross-section as possible', get people addicted, low gameplay, low meaning (I mean, what is the actual POINT of WoW, really... where are we all going? Or am I just searching for better items, epics for everyone...), cash cow. Yuk.

  • ppau08223

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 3:06 am PT

    i wonder how long starcraft is going to be on the top 10 pc charts? just when it was going down this news comes pushes back to number one!!!

  • Princecake

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 1:32 am PT

    takes as long as it's needed I can wait till 2010 if it's the way it is...

    a true classic for 10 years to come need to be perfect not that starcraft 1 wasn't perfect already ^^ love blizzard LOVE!

  • REd_toe

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 11:13 pm PT

    I predict holiday 2008!

  • dino316

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 10:32 pm PT

    I know when the game is released it will be great, and blizzard will do its best on it. However, i hope the game does not keep getting backtracked or even cancelled like some of blizzards other developments..

  • phoenixboyz

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 9:25 pm PT

    hope the NEXT-gen MMO is "world of starcraft" XD
    or maybe is world of diablo

  • rsgould

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 7:53 pm PT

    Better blizzard waits like they always do. Cause I like blizzard mainly cause they put quality into there work. Take as much time as you need blizzard I can wait. I own every Blizzard game for a reason. Cause they all were well made and they kick ass cause of it.

  • pro_gamer12345

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 5:01 pm PT

    well....i didnt really expect it to come out this year..but im hoping it would come out sometime in 2008. like during the summer.

  • Dark_knight109

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 4:43 pm PT

    Take as much time as you need, guys. Just make sure it comes out right.

  • damthegames

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 4:40 pm PT

    you are all children ... kids , i bought starcraft in 1998 and since that date i have bought many games but the game that i can say hell money well spent is this... its about time...

  • Talon0

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 4:16 pm PT

    Blizzard has always been stubborn when it comes to releasing awesome games. It's like they'd rather release a perfectly balanced game with a gigantic amount of multiplayer options and a fantastic campaign than get it out early. Go on marijuana man! Be the voice of reason!

  • marijuana_man2

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 3:24 pm PT

    It's news like this that actually makes me want to slit my wrists... I really want to play this game badly after they post-poned (possibly cancelled) SC: Ghost...

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