Starcraft 2 Esports

StarCraft is a military science fiction media franchise created by Chris Metzen and James Phinney and owned by Blizzard Entertainment. The series, set in the beginning of the 26th century, centers on a galactic struggle for dominance between three species in a distant part of the Milky Way galaxy known as the Koprulu Sector. The series debuted with the video game StarCraft in 1998.

Gameplay and Races

As a real-time strategy (RTS) game, StarCraft's gameplay revolves around resource gathering, base building, technological advancement, and combat. Players must manage two primary resources: minerals and vespene gas. The game is known for its three distinct and asymmetrically balanced playable races:

• Terrans: Humans exiled from Earth who are adaptable and rely on conventional military units and technology. Their buildings can be lifted off and flown to new locations.
• Zerg: An insectoid alien race obsessed with genetic assimilation. They operate as a hive mind, and their units and structures are biological, capable of regenerating health slowly. Zerg units are typically numerous and fast to produce.
• Protoss: A technologically advanced, psionic alien race with powerful individual units and strong defensive capabilities. Their buildings must be powered by a psionic matrix projected from Pylons, and their units and structures are protected by regenerating energy shields.

Development and Release

Development on StarCraft began at Blizzard Entertainment in 1995. The game was officially announced at E3 1996 and, after a lengthy development period, was released for Windows in March 1998. An expansion pack, Brood War, was released in November of the same year.

The StarCraft Franchise

The franchise primarily consists of a series of real-time strategy games that carry the main storyline.

StarCraft and Brood War

The original StarCraft (1998) and its expansion, Brood War (1998), are considered by many to be among the most important and influential video games of all time. Brood War added new units for each race and continued the storyline, significantly refining the game's balance and strategic depth. It became the definitive version for professional competition for over a decade.

StarCraft II Trilogy

The sequel, StarCraft II, was developed as a trilogy, with each installment focusing on one of the three races:

• Wings of Liberty (2010): Centered on the Terrans.
• Heart of the Swarm (2013): Centered on the Zerg.
• Legacy of the Void (2015): Centered on the Protoss.
  
  

StarCraft II introduced new units, updated graphics with a 3D engine, and a new multiplayer ladder system on an overhauled Battle.net platform.

StarCraft: Remastered

In 2017, Blizzard released StarCraft: Remastered, a carefully updated version of the original game and its Brood War expansion. It features high-definition graphics, support for modern display resolutions, updated audio, and new online matchmaking and ladder systems, while preserving the original gameplay and balance.

StarCraft in Esports

StarCraft, particularly Brood War, is recognized as a foundational pillar of esports. Its competitive scene established many of the structures, formats, and cultural touchstones of modern professional gaming.

The Rise of a Professional Scene

The game's high skill ceiling and strategic depth, combined with the multiplayer capabilities of Battle.net, fostered a competitive environment shortly after its release. Player-run tournaments quickly gave way to professionally organized events with significant prize pools.

Dominance in South Korea

Nowhere did the competitive scene flourish more than in South Korea. The game's popularity coincided with the rapid expansion of broadband internet infrastructure in the country. This led to the emergence of professional gamers, salaried teams with dedicated training facilities ("team houses"), and televised broadcasts of matches. Two dedicated 24/7 cable channels, OnGameNet (OGN) and MBCGame, were launched to broadcast StarCraft competitions, turning top players into national celebrities. The Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) was formed in 2000 to manage and promote esports in the country.

Global Impact

While South Korea was the epicenter, StarCraft also developed significant competitive scenes in other parts of the world, including Europe and North America. The release of StarCraft II in 2010, with Blizzard's direct support for a global competitive circuit, further expanded its international reach. The game was instrumental in the growth of live-streaming platforms like Twitch.tv, where fans could watch professional players practice and compete.

Professional Competition

Notable Players

The history of competitive StarCraft is defined by its legendary players.

Brood War Era:

• Lim "BoxeR" Yo-hwan (Terran): Known as "The Emperor," a revolutionary player whose creative strategies and exceptional micro-management drew massive crowds.
• Lee "Flash" Young-ho (Terran): Considered by many to be the greatest Brood War player of all time, known for his near-perfect mechanics and strategic dominance.
• Lee "Jaedong" Jae-dong (Zerg): A dominant Zerg player known as "The Tyrant," famous for his aggressive style and rivalry with Flash.
• Hong "YellOw" Jin-ho (Zerg): A highly popular player famous for his rivalry with BoxeR and his consistent second-place finishes in major finals.

StarCraft II Era:

• Jung "Mvp" Jong-hyun (Terran): Won four GSL Code S championships, dominating the early years of the game.
• Lee "Life" Seung-hyun (Zerg): A prodigy known for his aggressive and creative Zerg play.
• Joona "Serral" Sotala (Zerg): The first non-Korean player to win the GSL vs. the World tournament and the WCS Global Finals at BlizzCon, breaking the long-held Korean dominance.
• Lee "INnoVation" Shin-hyung (Terran): A long-standing top player known for his formidable macro mechanics.
• Kim "sOs" Yoo-jin (Protoss): A two-time BlizzCon Global Champion known for his unorthodox and highly strategic play.

Prominent Teams

Professional teams have been central to the StarCraft scene, providing salaries, coaching, and practice partners for players. Notable Korean teams include SK Telecom T1, KT Rolster, CJ Entus, and Samsung Khan. Internationally, teams like Team Liquid, Evil Geniuses, and later Shopify Rebellion have fielded top-tier players.

Major Leagues and Tournaments

• OnGameNet Starleague (OSL): One of the two most prestigious individual leagues for Brood War in South Korea, running from 1999 to 2013.
• MBCGame StarCraft League (MSL): The other premier Brood War individual league in Korea, which ran from 2002 to 2011.
• Global StarCraft II League (GSL): The most prestigious StarCraft II tournament series in the world, based in South Korea. Its premier "Code S" competition is the benchmark for the highest level of play.
• Intel Extreme Masters (IEM): A global circuit of tournaments run by ESL, with the annual IEM Katowice event serving as the unofficial world championship for many years.
• StarCraft II World Championship Series (WCS): A Blizzard-operated tournament circuit that, for much of StarCraft II's history, structured the global competitive scene into distinct regions, culminating in a Global Finals event at BlizzCon.