Nexon takes control of StarCraft and Overwatch Mobile - and the future of the franchises begins now

Nexon won the bid for one of the biggest licenses in the history of real-time gaming. According to the financial portal MTN (Money Today Network), the Korean publisher obtained the development rights for a new project based on the StarCraft universe, surpassing proposals from NCSoft, Netmarble, and Krafton, giants in the industry in South Korea.

Additionally, the agreement with Blizzard Entertainment also includes distribution rights in South Korea and Japan for a mobile game from the Overwatch franchise, which is being internally referred to by local companies as "Overwatch 3". Still in development by Blizzard, the title is described as a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) for mobile platforms — a notable shift for the series originally focused on first-person shooting.

"It is known to be a MOBA on mobile platform. It was also called 'Overwatch 3' by the national companies that participated in the competition.", says the automated translation of the MTN report.

The Nexon proposal for StarCraft was classified as "unique" compared to the others, marking the franchise's return after years of hiatus. The last main entry was StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void, released in 2015, completing the trilogy that began with Wings of Liberty in 2010. Since then, fans have been satisfied with StarCraft: Remastered (2017) and sporadic appearances of the brand, such as in crossovers with Hearthstone.

Meanwhile, Blizzard is also developing an internal project within the franchise, described as their third effort to create a shooter in the StarCraft universe — following the cancellations of StarCraft: Ghost and Project Ares. In 2022, journalist Jason Schreier commented:

"If it's not canceled, of course. I mean, it's Blizzard, after all. This was a project that, as far as I knew, was still in development."

Although the direction of Nexon's project is still unknown — whether it will continue as a traditional RTS or explore new genres — the fact is that StarCraft, a cultural phenomenon in South Korea, is back with a concrete future. For fans, the hope now is that the franchise's strategic essence will not be abandoned in favor of market trends.