World of Warcrafthas been dominating the MMORPG market since its inception, but it would not have been possible without the originalWarcraftRTS series. This trilogy of titles introduced players to Azeroth and helped shape the fantasy world. Many players remember ransacking Alliance villages, fighting the Burning Legion for the first time, and watching as Arthas became the infamous Lich King. Some of gaming’s most memorable moments are within theWarcraftseries, and it deserves to return under Microsoft.
Warcraftfans have not been short on content thanks toWorld of Warcraft, but many have been calling for a return to the RTS series. Recently,Xbox CEO Phil Spencertalked about bringing more RTS games to Xbox after the Activision Blizzard deal. He was specifically talking about series likeStarcraft,but the originalWarcraftseries should also be given a bit of attention. WhileWorld of Warcraftis showing no signs of stopping, the return of theWarcraft RTSgames could help further expand the world of Azeroth and tell stories that players have not seen yet, and Xbox already has the perfect developers for the job in Relic Entertainment.
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A Brief History of the Warcraft Series
The firstWarcraft RTSgame came out in 1994 and was calledWarcraft: Orcs & Humans. This was the first time that gamers were introduced to Azeroth, and it told the story ofthe First Great War. It offered two different campaigns with one showing the events from the Horde’s perspective and the other from the Alliance’s viewpoint. Each campaign offered a different ending, but only the Horde ending was canon. The gameplay was like other RTS titles, but the world felt special.
Warcraft 2: Tides of Darknesshit store shelves two years later. It depicted the events of the Second Great War of Azeroth and significantly expanded the lore of the universe. The story followed the Horde and Alliance as they fought for control over the planet, and it featured some fan-favorite characters like Gul’dan and Anduin Lothar. The title also received an expansion packWarcraft 2: Beyond the Dark Portalthatintroduced the planet of Draenorfor the first time.
While the first two titles were pretty successful, neither compared to the sheer impact ofWarcraft 3: Reign of Chaos. Released in 2002,Warcraft 3is theWarcraft RTStitle that everyone fondly remembers. The game built the foundations for much ofWorld of Warcraft’s story with the introduction of all sorts of races andiconic characters like Thrall, Tyrande Whisperwind, Arthas, and Archimonde. This title also helped spawn the MOBA genre thanks to its world editor, and is often considered one of the best RTS titles around. However, Blizzard chose to take the series in an entirely new direction withWorld of Warcraftand theWarcraft RTSseries seemingly concluded here.
The Warcraft RTS Series Needs Some Attention
ManyWarcraftfans have been clamoring for a return to the RTS series for a while now, but Blizzard has not delivered. The closest that the studio came to fulfilling that wish was withthe release ofWarcraft 3: Reforgedin 2020, but that was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews from the fanbase. Since then, there have been no signs that Blizzard plans to revisit the RTS genre through any of its series. However, that may all change once Microsoft officially acquires Activision Blizzard.
Once Activision Blizzard joins the Xbox Game Studios family, that will open the door for many new opportunities. Specifically, another studio could be given the chance to create a newWarcraft RTStitle while Blizzard focuses on other projects. The best studio for the job may be Relic Entertainment which is coming fresh off the release ofAge of Empires 4which brought the classic series back after 16 years. If the studio can revivea classic RTS likeAge of Empires, then it should be given the chance to do it withWarcraftas well.
Warcraftis one of the biggest brands in PC gaming, andBlizzard is preparing to expand it withDragonflightandWarcraft: Arclight Rumble, but theWarcraftRTSseries also deserves to be a part of that. Once the acquisition is approved, Microsoft should let a studio like Relic Entertainment take a stab at the series. If it is good then it would surely be a treat for fans of Azeroth and could help tell new stories within this grand fantasy world.
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