According to Windows Central journalist Jez Corden on The XB2 podcast, Blizzard is collaborating with an external Western RTS studio on an unannounced project. This studio had previously worked with Microsoft on a strategy game, but Corden did not disclose its name nor confirm which Blizzard IP is involved.
Corden speculates that Blizzard may be drawing inspiration from Microsoft's management approach for the Age of Empires series, where internal teams oversee creative direction, narrative, and overall design, while actual development is outsourced to specialized external studios. This model helps Blizzard rebuild its strategy game production capabilities without needing to reestablish a large, dedicated internal RTS development team.
The timing of this news is particularly noteworthy. BlizzCon 2026 will take place from September 12 to 13, and Blizzard has already begun building hype for StarCraft ahead of the event. The official StarCraft website recently displayed unusual glitch effects and mysterious transmission signals, leading to widespread speculation that the series will have a major announcement at the convention.
As previously reported, at least one more project is in development within the StarCraft universe, rumored to be a third-person or open-world shooter led by former Far Cry executive producer Dan Hay. Corden expects this project to be officially announced at BlizzCon. Additionally, Korean media reports suggest that Nexon is negotiating with Blizzard for the development rights to the StarCraft IP. Corden commented that Microsoft is unlikely to sell the IP, and a licensing partnership model is more probable.
Since StarCraft II stopped receiving paid content updates and Warcraft III shifted focus to its remaster, Blizzard has been quiet in the RTS genre for quite some time. If this collaboration is confirmed, it would mark a significant reconstruction of Blizzard's strategy game development framework. However, Corden did not confirm whether the external project is StarCraft III, so related speculation must await Blizzard's official announcement.