Blizzard Entertainment is reportedly teaming up with South Korean publisher Nexon to handle the mobile release of their hit hero shooter, Overwatch Mobile, and a new entry in the StarCraft franchise. This move could mark an important step in Blizzard’s mobile ambitions and investment in one of its most cherished IPs.
The news comes via MTN, which reports that Blizzard has been courting major Korean publishers since late last year. They’ve offered development rights for content based on the StarCraft intellectual property (IP), combined with Korean and Japanese publishing rights for Overwatch Mobile as a package deal. The choice of Nexon suggests Blizzard is betting on a company with solid experience in online shooters and large-scale multiplayer titles.
The exact nature of this new StarCraft game remains unclear. Industry whispers hint at an “open-world shooter” style, but nothing official has surfaced yet. Interestingly, internal references to Overwatch Mobile have called it “Overwatch 3,” implying it might bridge features or gameplay elements between the current console versions and what mobile players can expect.
Nexon’s recent credits include publishing The Finals, an online shooter developed by Emark Studios, which shows that they’re no strangers to handling competitive team-based shooters.
Ahead of this partnership news, Blizzard was already advertising various design roles, including associate design director, senior designer, and principal designer, for an unannounced project related to the new StarCraft title. Job listings mention developing content for an “open-world shooter game,” though specific details remain scarce.
This isn’t the first time Blizzard is rumored to be working on reviving the StarCraft shooter genre; Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier’s book Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment recalls past attempts like StarCraft Ghost. According to Schreier’s reporting:
“Most of the developers were laid off, while a few would remain with Hay to begin incubating, of all things, a new StarCraft shooter. Perhaps after StarCraft Ghost and Ares, the third time would be the charm.”
The “Hay” mentioned refers to Dan Hay, the former head behind Ubisoft’s popular Far Cry series. Hay left Ubisoft in 2021 after ten years leading its Montreal studio during some of its most successful years. He later joined Blizzard, working on a survival game codenamed Odyssey, before that project was scrapped early this year following executive departures at Blizzard.
This collaboration between Blizzard and Nexon may signal renewed focus on key franchises through mobile adaptation and fresh projects within favorite universes. While many questions remain about what form these games will take or when we might hear more large announcements, both companies see potential gains from joining forces in East Asia’s lively market.
