BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT® ANNOUNCES DEVELOPMENT OF WORLDS OF STARCRAFT®
Worlds of Starcraft® will launch the Blizzard® universe into outer space.
ANAHEIM, Calif. – April 1, 2006 – Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced plans for the development of Worlds of Starcraft®, a new subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Worlds of Starcraft will take players across the stars, from Aiur to Zz'gash where three unique races, each with their own different style of play, will fight for control of the galaxy.
"We're extremely proud of what we created with World of Warcraft, and we look forward to expanding our library with Worlds of Starcraft," said Mike Morhaime, president and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment®. "With all of the new content we have planned, the title will offer something for every PC gamer to explore and enjoy."
Worlds of Starcraft takes up where Starcraft: Brood Wars™ left off, with the armies of the Terrans, the Zerg, and the Protoss embroiled in an intergalactic war. Old allegiances will fall and new menaces will arise as the three races battle for ultimate control of the galaxy. Building on the award-winning formula set forth in World of Warcraft®, Worlds of Starcraft looks further Blizzard's commitment to quality online gaming with a universe of gameplay innovations. Players can look forward to:
- Three Player Races: Three rival factions will vie for glory and survival with race specific classes, crafting skills, and hero classes. Like multiplayer StarCraft®, the game will focus heavily on massive tactical battles for resources, territory, and the survival of the species.
- Unique Advancement Trees: Each race has unique ways of gaining levels. Terrans focus on training that allows the use of new equipment and vehicles. Zerg players can evolve into new, more powerful life forms. And the Protoss specialize in summoning and controlling powerful units to assist them.
- Persistent Territorial Control: Many of the planets, moons, and space installations in the game are susceptible to takeover by any of the game's three races. While under the territorial control of a particular race, each location provides special items and resources for members of that race.
- Complex Crafting System: All three races have unique ways of gathering resources and crafting of new items. With the proper mineral resources and facilities, Terran Engineers can manufacture better armor, weapons, and vehicles. Zerg Gene Mothers harvest DNA from non-sentient life forms and fallen enemies to create new mutations. Protoss Mystics, who gather psychic energy from nodes located throughout the galaxy, can focus that power into crystals which fuel their summoning gates.
Worlds of Starcraft is currently in development for the PC platform, and a modified version for next-gen consoles is under consideration. No release date has been set for either project.
Since launching in November 2004 in North America, Australia, and New Zealand, World of Warcraft has quickly grown to become the world's most popular MMORPG, with a worldwide subscriber base of over six million players. For more information, visit the official World of Warcraft website at
www.worldofwarcraft.com. Additional news, including new features and release dates, will be announced there in the coming months.
World of Warcraft®, its massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), has surpassed six million customers worldwide. The subscription-based MMORPG launched approximately one year ago in North America, Australia, and New Zealand and has since released in multiple countries throughout Europe and Asia. This latest milestone comes on the heels of Blizzard Entertainment®'s recent announcement of a World of Warcraft expansion, World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade™, which will push the boundaries of the game and offer even more content and features for players.
World of Warcraft's Paying Customer Definition
World of Warcraft customers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or purchased a prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the installation box bundled with one free month access. Internet Game Room players that have accessed the game over the last seven days are also counted as customers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired pre-paid cards. Customers in licensees' territories are defined along the same rules.
About Blizzard Entertainment®, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft, the Warcraft, StarCraft®, and Diablo® series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (
www.blizzard.com), a division of Vivendi Universal Games, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating many of the industry's most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard's track record includes nine #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company's free Internet gaming service, Battle.net®, reigns as the largest in the world, with millions of active users.