The future of Starcraft v2.0 (**SPOILERS** INSIDE)

[sandwich_bird]

We had a thread about this before but now that the story is over, what are you guys thinking?

Storywise, I really don't know what Blizz can do at this point... I mean they can use Alarak and Zagara as antagonists, maybe use Ulrezaj but I wouldn't see a full game made out of this. The way I see it, in a story based around defeating the common evil, each succeeding villains must always be stronger than the previous one(Overmind < Amon in terms of power; also think of DBZ). The problem when you face a ''God'' though is that there really isn't much nice ways to top it off. They'd probably have to bring out the creator of the creators or invent a second "void" with stronger entities inside. All of which are kinda lame. But this is Blizzard, and if WoW is any indication, there is a couple of lame tricks they could use. For example, something that seems to work for them and that they love using is the "appeal to nostalgia". Just like they brought back the orcs as enemy #1 and now the demons, maybe they would revive the Overmind or even Kerrigan. Hell, maybe they would revive the Overmind and make it infest Nova(I actually disgust myself right now)... Another strong candidate for nostalgia would obviously be the UED. I think if they did though, they might do it more in a "Mist of Pandaria" kind of way. What I mean is that instead of the UED coming back and being pissed, the Dominion and friends might send an expedition to Earth where they end up finding out that "something" is going wrong (aka the Sha but, in this case it could be overpowered psionic humans or something).

In any case, we can agree that it's probably gonna be more inconsistent Saturday morning cartoon stuff but meh, it's enjoyable for what it is.

[Robear]

Yeah, now a game just about factional political conflict would seem petty in comparison to infinite cycles and the entire galaxy.

There's definitely room for mini campaigns or a spinoff game in set around any of the events/time periods that have already been established. Maybe another 3rd person shooter / space combat game, if the past couple years' resurgence of space combat games hasn't already exhausted itself. But for a true Starcraft 3 I have no idea. Maybe at that point it'd be better to just focus on an entirely different set of colonies in a different sector of space and essentially do a reboot with a different set of races, though still set in the same conceptual universe. I'd actually be up for that. 10 years from now, that's my suggestion.

[ragnarok]

Yeah, now a game just about factional political conflict would seem petty in comparison to infinite cycles and the entire galaxy.

There's definitely room for mini campaigns or a spinoff game in set around any of the events/time periods that have already been established. Maybe another 3rd person shooter / space combat game, if the past couple years' resurgence of space combat games hasn't already exhausted itself. But for a true Starcraft 3 I have no idea. Maybe at that point it'd be better to just focus on an entirely different set of colonies in a different sector of space and essentially do a reboot with a different set of races, though still set in the same conceptual universe. I'd actually be up for that. 10 years from now, that's my suggestion.

Right now I'm more curious would they just reboot SC2 altogether because of all the lore inconsistencies and everything.

[NikoMyCousin]

The future? It's looking bright. There won't be any more Xel'naga, they've hinted at the UED returning to the sector, The zerg no longer have a half human/zerg with human emotions leading them, there may be some Protoss faction in the future that vows to keep the Khala and could be at odds with the rest of the unified Protoss, and of course there might be a 4th race as hinted at the end of LotV.

There were some really stupid parts of LotV but it ended the way I thought it should.

[Drake Clawfang]

Starcraft 3 should well and simply focus on the UED returning to the sector, bigger and badder and pissed off.

I don't say this as a fanboy, but because it makes logical sense. Presuming the next game takes place in the lifetimes of the current cast, everything is good in the K-sector. Valerian and Matt Horner lead the Terrans, Zagara is an idiot and can easily be outfought if she gets testy, the protoss have taken back Aiur and the Khalai are at least on speaking terms with the Tal'darim, if not buddy-buddy with them. In short, everyone is at least at truce with everyone else. The UED however, is not. Their goal all along in Brood War was to take over the Terrans, enslave and then exterminate the Zerg, and probably do either of those two things to the Protoss once they were able. Their return would shake up the status quo in a huge way and strain tensions. Perhaps Valerian wants to negotiate with them for peace, but others (Horner perhaps?) think it's a fool's errand. Maybe Zagara decides invading and infesting Earth sounds like a grand idea after all. Perhaps Artanis and the Protoss are hesitant to enter a new war after the war with Amon, but some protoss feel obliged to help their Dominion allies that aided them against Amon.

Further, if they come back, they'll know that DuGalle failed in his orders, so they'll try harder this time. While word of the fleet's destruction never reached Earth, we know they have some way to communicate the K-sector; that's how they found out the Zerg and Protoss were there in the first place, and there was that UED Broadcast at the end of Episode V. When they sent DuGalle and his men, it was a knee-jerk fear reaction to the aliens. So it seems to me they'll be spending their off-time between Brood War and SC2 spying on the K-sector, weighing the situation, studying the technology they seized there, improving it with their likely greater resources and scientific understanding. When they return, it'll be with better technology than the Dominion, their intelligence will be top-notch, and they'll know their enemies better than before, but with all the improvements they'll have made to their arsenal and the new commanders they've sent, the K-sector still won't know much about them.

[ragnarok]

The future? It's looking bright. There won't be any more Xel'naga, they've hinted at the UED returning to the sector, The zerg no longer have a half human/zerg with human emotions leading them, there may be some Protoss faction in the future that vows to keep the Khala and could be at odds with the rest of the unified Protoss, and of course there might be a 4th race as hinted at the end of LotV.

There were some really stupid parts of LotV but it ended the way I thought it should.

In some ways the Zerg still have this problem. Kerrigan designed the broodmothers based on her own template, remember?

The main problems with LotV was a complete spit in the face to the Xel'Naga lore.

[NikoMyCousin]

In some ways the Zerg still have this problem. Kerrigan designed the broodmothers based on her own template, remember?

Eh, there's always Dehaka's thirst for essence left unquenched and Niadra's unwavering assault on the Protoss. There's enough room with the zerg to make their future seem interesting.

[FanaticTemplar]

Some big bad villain will invade, and we'll have to put aside our differences to stop him.

He will probably be the one responsible for turning Amon against the Xel'naga.

[Turalyon]

If there's one rotten Xel'Naga, there's bound to be more hidden away somewhere. Most likely, it will be a host of them next time led by the "god of gods" or something. If they're going for "escalation", that's all I can see them doing. It'll be an excuse to bring back Kerrigan, since her godly powers can't tackle multiple gods.

Going the way of the UED is a safe bet. It will probably bring some grit and less magical Warcrafty feel back but it's a pretty niche appeal considering what we have in Sc2 now and how that sets up different expectations to what we had back when we only had Sc1/BW.

It would be interested in seeing the Protoss being the major antagonist since the Zerg and Terran had their turns. It'll be hard to do without it being contrived though.

Oh, and for something completely out of left field given that not even a god can face up to the combined might of the Terran, Zerg and Protoss, I guess a good opponent would be an invasion of an actual union of the Terran, Zerg and Protoss from an alternate universe, which I would like to call, the Triumvirate. Yeah, it's an arsepull but if Blizz can do it, so can I!

[NikoMyCousin]

It'll be an excuse to bring back Kerrigan, since her godly powers can't tackle multiple gods.

I said this in the other thread but I'm very certain that Kerrigan is just human now. The track played in the background of the final cinematic was titled "Second Chances", while the cinematic's name was titled "Homecoming". Maybe there's some connection between Kerrigan's power dissipating and the birth of life on barren planets. Maybe it's something a bit less obvious and Amon's power was preventing these planets from harboring life.

I hope that's the direction. The series is better with every character grounded and with their capabilities kept in check. No Xel'naga or ancient prophecies.