The game will be split into three separate products, based around the
terran,
zerg and
protoss campaigns respectively. The first is called
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, the second will be called
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm and the third will be called
StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void.
[10][11]
The story team has moved on to the
Heart of the Swarm.
[20][21]
Blizzard Entertainment chose this route due to the challenges they faced creating the campaigns. Through a trilogy, they can create more content per campaign, such as movies, sets, props, characters, missions (including Easter egg missions) and so forth. Each character will have their own arcs, missions and dialog.
[22][23] The story has been designed so that no previous knowledge of
StarCraft is required to enjoy it.
[24]
The three campaigns do not occur simultaneously in-universe. Rather, they occur in chronological order,
[25] each campaign beginning immediately after its predecessor.
[26] Each campaign will have 26-30 missions in total (including branching missions) and a set ending, rather than a cliff-hanger.
[22]
The latter two expansions are expected to take over a year to release.
[27][28]
All three races were completely developed for the multiplayer skirmish mode.
Trilogy Features
Heart of the Swarm and
Legacy of the Void are considered to be expansion sets[23] and will be priced as such.[15] Rob Pardo later described them as expansions from a multiplayer standpoint (much like
Brood War) but sequels from a campaign standpoint.
[29]
Each will upgrade and expand multiplayer content in addition to containing a campaign,
[27] such as the possibility of new units, abilities and structures.
[23] New units available in the expansions can only be accessed if a player buys the expansion. Each product would have upgrades to the multiplayer, "that's the whole point of the expansion or the second part".
[30] Each race will be enhanced in some way.
[31]
Blizzard plans on adding "drawing" functionality for referees in
Heart of the Swarm.
|
Protoss: Legacy of the Void |
|
Zerg: Heart of the Swarm |
|
Terrans: Wings of Liberty |