It has been over a decade since Blizzard’s last major RTS release, and even longer since a new Warcraft. The genre was once at the forefront of gaming, creating the foundation for the current success of esports endeavors. At the helm of this genre was Blizzard, consistently releasing games that undisputedly improved on their previous successes, moving the genre forward year after year. Despite being past their golden age, Blizzard’s last two major RTS releases, StarCraft 2 and Warcraft 3, still retain a sizable player-base and competitive scene to this day.

An unannounced game is currently in development at Blizzard, and with Microsoft’s recent acquisition and its own RTS endeavors, there may be a new Blizzard RTS on the horizon. Regardless, if this next title is a new RTS, it does beg the question of which RTS franchise Blizzard should return to first. While any RTS announcement would be sure to generate excitement, Warcraft 4 has more to offer to both the genre and gaming as a whole.

StarCraft 2 Still Doesn’t Need A Replacement

StarCraft 2 Still Stands At The Forefront Of The Genre

There’s a reason why StarCraft 2, 14 years after launch and four years since active development, is still the most played RTS game on the market. While its relatively common for older RTSs to maintain popularity, as evidenced by the success of remasters like Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition, StarCraft 2 is an altogether different phenomenon. Not only does it retain the largest playerbase, its engine is still at the peak of RTS design. To this day, it’s the most precise, smooth, and generally impressive RTS engine ever made.

There have been many attempts between 2010 and now to attempt to surpass the game. While still in early stages, Stormgate is currently being made by a team of ex-StarCraft developers, but is still grappling with making its engine feel as good as StarCraft 2. Put simply, StarCraft 2 is in no need of a replacement. It goes beyond holding up to today’s standards, StarCraft 2 is still setting those standards.

Warcraft Could Use A New Installment

It Offers More Opportunity For Modernization

Warcraft 3 also still maintains a healthy and dedicated player base, helped recently by Blizzard’s decision to continue fixing its Reforged version’s disastrous launch. However, when compared to StarCraft 2, its age is clearly more apparent. The graphics are iconic, but noticeably dated. The engine features mechanics that, at first glance, make unit ordering feel clunkier. Control groups are limited in size, turn speed is an intentional mechanic, and unit hit boxes can make ordering units feel unresponsive.

These aspects are a large part of what makes casual and competitive Warcraft 3 maintain a high level of depth. Yet, Warcraft, as a franchise, has more to offer than these clunky, but complex mechanics. The RPG side of Warcraft 3 – items, heroes, shops, and creeping – are distinct features on their own, which has only had one other solid attempt in Spellforce 3. While it’s difficult to say how much of WC3‘s idiosyncratic engine a new game would maintain, there is more room for growth and modernization within the various systems that make up Warcraft 3.

Warcraft 4 Would Honor An Incredible Legacy

The Franchise Has Inspired Countless Genres And Games

While both Warcraft and StarCraft featured impressive modding capabilities, its undeniable how many games and genres were defined by Warcraft 3‘s release. The popular Defense of the Ancients game mode was the inspiration behind the entire MOBA genre, which now comfortably dominates the esports market. Tower defenses were also affected, with spin-off, standalone Steam games released based on popular modes. Autobattlers were also inspired by games within the modding community, and are now a flourishing genre of game.

This is all without even mentioning the Warcraft franchise as a whole. The campaign of Warcraft 3 was perhaps the greatest ever made for an RTS. Its strength alone carried the early days of World of Warcraft, forming the primary basis for the launch and first two expansions. Ultimately, Warcraft‘s impact on gaming and its near-endless potential for modernization creates a compelling case for it being the next Blizzard game. Perhaps, one day, players will be able to play modern releases from both franchises, but for the first attempt at revitalizing the genre, Warcraft 4 seems like the best choice.