Blizzard Is Working on a StarCraft FPS and More Diablo Content

Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier dropped some interesting updates on Blizzard Entertainment during a podcast this weekend. The short version: Blizzard’s classic franchises are clawing back, and there are more new projects in the pipeline than most people realize.

Schreier said that several Blizzard IPs that struggled in recent years are now regaining their footing. Overwatch is in a noticeably better place than it was a year or two ago. World of Warcraft still pulls millions of subscribers and generates serious revenue. Diablo IV — even if it didn’t hit every internal target — remains a profitable, actively-played game.

But the more interesting part is what’s coming. Schreier confirmed Blizzard has “a lot of new projects” in development. That includes more Diablo content, and a StarCraft first-person shooter that he’s mentioned before. He didn’t go into details on the FPS, but a StarCraft-themed shooter has been something fans have speculated about for years.

The caveat: Microsoft’s sweeping layoffs have hit Blizzard too. Schreier noted that teams are being asked to keep building these projects without any long-term job security. Developers don’t know if they’ll still have a job three months from now, which puts a darker spin on what should otherwise be an optimistic outlook for the studio.