Blizzard Announces Plans for StarCraft II

Blizzard plans to release a sequel to the popular WarCraft-based space multiplayer game StarCraft, the company confirmed over the weekend.

A preview event in Korea showed off the new game, however the company remained light on specifics. It will be the first major update for the title since StarCraft was released in 1998.

StarCraft roughly is based on similar concepts to WarCraft, Blizzard Entertainment's award-winning title that has been spun-off into a MMORPG as well as two sequels, featuring three races -- the Terrans, Protoss and Zerg -- in an interplanetary battle.

Blizzard has enhanced the game by further distinguishing the races from one another and adding new units and gameplay, as well as enhancing the original abilities of each race.

Realistic physics and a 3D graphics engine have also been added to allow gamers control large, highly-detailed armies onscreen at the same time. Like the original, StarCraft II will include a single player and multiplayer component.

"We recognize that expectations are high following the long-running popularity of the original game, but we plan to meet those expectations and deliver an engaging, action-packed, competitive experience that StarCraft players and strategy gamers worldwide will enjoy," Blizzard Entertainment co-founder and president Mike Morhaime said in the announcement.

StafCraft II versions for Mac OS X and Windows will be released at the same time. However, it is as yet unknown what Blizzard intends to charge for the game or when it would ship, with the company promising more details to be "announced in the months ahead."