StarCraft Remastered has been officially announced by Blizzard. It is said to bring a complete update in the graphics and visual presentation of the classic game while keeping its original gameplay. The remastered version will also upgrade the game's audio and apply modern features such as matchmaking, custom keybindings and more.
According to Game Rant, Blizzard will conduct an update on Starcraft: Brood War in preparation for the release of StarCraft Remastered. Expected to arrive this week, the game patch 1.18 will include several new feature additions, which are dedicated to the remastered version. Notably, the contents included are anti-cheat measures, observer mode, custom keybindings, compatibility adjustments on Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 operating systems.
The report also said that Blizzard would be developing a StarCraft Anthology, a bundle that includes the original StarCraft and its Brood War expansion. All the contents of this package will be completely free to download and play.
Releasing a free non-remastered version of StarCraft is perhaps a great move by Blizzard since they will positively thrill players heading to the premium-remastered version of the game. The company said that StarCraft Remastered would offer a modernized visual with widescreen UHD support capable of 4K resolution. It would also be an updated version of the game's campaign cinematics.
In the audio section, all the dialogues and soundtrack have been recorded again, while adding a new comic book-style interim to pad out the original story. Meanwhile, it is worth noting that Blizzard's primary focus on StarCraft Remastered appears to be preserving the classic gameplay and balance.
The end-result might not become impressive in an instant since the original StarCraft was being ported to StarCraft 2 engine instead. With that type of port, it perhaps brings improved visuals. However, it would not bring the original game to the heart. There are lots of essential minor details from the codes and engine of the original game that any old players would know the difference instantly. However, this is the only way the company could remaster StarCraft without tarnishing it in the process.
StarCraft Remastered is scheduled for release this coming summer exclusively on PC.
