After 20 years, StarCraft players will finally be able to see the details of the enigmatic man inside the spinning missile turret.
During a showmatch event in Busan, South Korea, some of Brood War’s greatest took up the keys again to compete in the upcoming remaster. StarCraft Remastered definitely has the same vibe, but with zoom and updated art, it’s a much sharper picture, leading to moments like missile turret man’s debut.
For comparison, here’s an in-game shot from the original Brood War with missile turrets, alongside some Valkyries, Siege Tanks and Science Vessels.
Holding an exhibition in the heart of Brood War country, with a massive crowd on the beach of Busan, paints a picture of Blizzard’s hopes for the remaster. Whether players latch onto a remade version of a 20-year-old game is one thing, but watching late-night broadcasts of StarCraft straight from South Korea, with names like JaeDong, Boxer, Yellow, and Flash is a pretty strong nostalgia grab for an old StarCraft fan like me.
Hearing the sounds and music, the commentators talking about build timings and wall-offs, the incredible micro-management of high-level players... it’s all just like I remember it from years and years ago. Whether this game can grapple with titans again is one matter, but seeing a technical game like StarCraft pushed to its limits is always a joy.
Blizzard announced at the event that South Korean PC bangs would be getting StarCraft Remastered today, but if you’re not in the area, the game will come to home PCs on Aug. 14. With premier StarCraft tournament series OSL making its return, Brood War might be making a comeback of sorts in the competitive scene.
You can catch the rest of the games as they play out live here, or check out the archives for all the matches here.