List of StarCraft media

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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]

Contents

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

GameRelease date
North AmericaPAL 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, 2013March 12, 2013
StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void November 10, 2015November 10, 2015
StarCraft: Ghost CancelledCancelled

Other games

GameRelease dateMedia type
StarCraft Adventures July 2000 [30] Role-playing game
StarCraft: The Board Game October 2007 [2] Board game

Soundtracks

TitleRelease dateLengthLabel
StarCraft: Game Music Vol. 1 January 2000 [32] 56:49Net 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

TitleRelease dateISBNMedia 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 Archive13 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

TitleRelease dateMedia type
StarCraft Battle Chest31 December 1999 [50] Video game compilation
StarCraft Cinematics DVDFirst 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]

Related Research Articles

<i>StarCraft</i> (video game) 1998 real-time strategy game

StarCraft is a real-time strategy video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment for Microsoft Windows. The first installment of the video game series of the same name, it was released in 1998. A Classic Mac OS version was released in 1999, and a Nintendo 64 port co-developed with Mass Media and published by Nintendo was released in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zerg</span> Fictional alien race

The Zerg are a race of insectoid aliens obsessed with assimilating other races into their swarm in pursuit of genetic perfection, and the overriding antagonists for much of the StarCraft franchise. Unlike the fictional universe's other primary races, the Protoss and Terrans, the Zerg lack technological inclination. Instead, they "force-evolve" genetic traits by directed mutation in order to match such technology. Operating as a hive mind-linked "chain of command", the Zerg strive for "genetic perfection" by assimilating the unique genetic code of advanced species deemed "worthy" into their own gene pool, creating numerous variations of specialized strains of Zerg gifted with unique adaptations. Despite being notoriously cunning and ruthlessly efficient, the majority of Zerg species have low intelligence, becoming mindless beasts if not connected to a "hive-cluster" or a "command entity".

<i>StarCraft: Ghost</i> Cancelled video game

StarCraft: Ghost was a military science fiction stealth-action video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It was intended to be part of Blizzard's StarCraft series and was announced in September 20, 2002. It was to be developed by Nihilistic Software for the GameCube, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 video game consoles. Several delays in development caused Blizzard to move back the release date and the game has not materialized. Nihilistic Software ceded development to Swingin' Ape Studios in 2004 before Blizzard bought the company, and plans for the GameCube version were canceled in 2005.

<i>StarCraft: Brood War</i> Expansion pack for StarCraft

StarCraft: Brood War is the expansion pack for the military science fiction real-time strategy video game StarCraft. Released in December 1998 for Microsoft Windows and June 1999 for Mac OS, it was co-developed by Saffire and Blizzard Entertainment. The expansion pack introduces new campaigns, map tilesets, music, extra units for each race, and upgrade advancements. The campaigns continue the story from where the original StarCraft ended, with the sequel, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, continuing from the conclusion of Brood War. The expansion was released first in the United States on December 18, 1998.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Raynor</span> Fictional character in StarCraft

James Eugene Raynor is a fictional character and a major protagonist in Blizzard Entertainment's science fiction StarCraft series. Raynor is a predominant character in the science fiction real-time strategy video games StarCraft and Brood War and is a player character in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. He also appears as a playable character in the crossover multiplayer online battle arena game Heroes of the Storm. Outside video games, Raynor appears in the novels Liberty's Crusade and Queen of Blades, while his backstory is explored in the novels Heaven's Devils and Devil's Due. Robert Clotworthy voices the character in all video game appearances.

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StarCraft is a military science fiction media franchise created by Chris Metzen and James Phinney and owned by Blizzard Entertainment. The series, set in the beginning of the 26th century, centers on a galactic struggle for dominance among four species—the adaptable and mobile Terrans, the ever-evolving insectoid Zerg, the powerful and enigmatic Protoss, and the godlike Xel'Naga creator race—in a distant part of the Milky Way galaxy known as the Koprulu Sector. The series debuted with the video game StarCraft in 1998. It has grown to include a number of other games as well as eight novelizations, two Amazing Stories articles, a board game, and other licensed merchandise such as collectible statues and toys.

<i>StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty</i> 2010 real-time strategy video game

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is a science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released worldwide in July 2010 for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. A sequel to the 1998 video game StarCraft and the Brood War expansion pack, the game is best known as the original installment of StarCraft II which was later followed by a number of expansion packs. Wings of Liberty has been free-to-play since November 2017.

References

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