Job listings rarely go out there and tell us exactly what a developer is looking to make within the next few years, but sometimes we can put the hints together ourselves to craft an idea of what may be behind the curtain. Recently, a new job listing at Blizzard has fans hoping that Starcraft will make an imminent return.
PC Gamer believes that the new lead designer role at Blizzard is referencing an upcoming shooter set in the Starcraft universe, previously outlined in Jason Schreier's 2024 book about the storied developer. The role is looking for someone with 15 years of experience in game design, and interestingly is searching for someone who has previously used Unreal Engine. Blizzard's current games, outside of Hearthstone, are all using an in-house engine. As the job listing wants someone to create a third-person, open-world shooter as well, we doubt this is about some Hearthstone spin-off.
With BlizzCon coming this September, it seems it could be a great time to announce a massive project like a Starcraft return. Considering the series' RTS roots, it might not be what fans wished for when they see a shooter, but it is a new Starcraft game, so at least there's that. It could also be the case this is something entirely new, as Blizzard does like to dip its toe into new world and genres every so often. The cancelled survival game Everwild tells us as much, even if it didn't lead to success.