Blizzard issued a patch for StarCraft two months ago updating the original game from 1998 with Windows 7, 8 and 10 support. It also generously rendered the original StarCraft Anthology completely free for all. Not that its price prevented people from purchasing it before. The entire anthology with the original game plus expansion packs only cost £8. The patch is actually important since it is necessary for the remastered game that Blizzard intends to release. The new remastered version improves several key graphics from the original, but Blizzard also wants to preserve the mechanics of the game. This results in a faithful adaptation since it is basically a re-skin. This also means that all existing bugs must be in-tact, including the janky Dragoon walking AI.
The move is of course necessary if Blizzard intends to revive the competitive StarCraft Brood War scene. In an age where eSports brings in stacks of money and is undeniably popular, Blizzard’s StarCraft could bring them further millions. The new 4K remaster does not just update the graphics, the original audio is now better as well. There will also be a modern ladder and matchmaking system, intended to be accessible for new players while attracting many veterans.
StarCraft: Remastered Pricing and Availability
Blizzard put up a pre-purchase page for StarCraft:Remastered at: https://starcraft.com/en-gb/
It is available in the UK for £13, $15 in the US, and $22 in AUS. The original StarCraft Anthology with the latest patch is a requirement. Users can download the original anothology here: https://us.battle.net/shop/en/product/starcraft
