StarCraft: Ghost Resurfaces Online in Playable Form

The history of the video game industry is filled with highly-anticipated games that were announced [...]

By Marc Deschamps

The history of the video game industry is filled with highly-anticipated games that were announced but, for whatever reason, ended up collapsing during development. StarCraft: Ghost is perhaps one of the best known examples. A spin-off of Blizzard Entertainment's popular franchise, fans were excited to see a new take on the familiar world of the StarCraft games. Unfortunately, the title endured a number of delays throughout the PS2/Xbox/GameCube era, before the game was put on indefinite hiatus, and eventually cancelled. In the internet era, however, it seems little is ever truly dead, and that remains the case for StarCraft: Ghost. After all these years, a playable build of the game has finally leaked online!

Apparently, the build that leaked is from an Xbox dev kit. The game would have been a third-person action game, in stark contrast to the RTS gameplay the series has always been known for. While the game was highly-anticipated by fans and pundits, few details about StarCraft: Ghost's story were ever revealed. The game would have apparently taken place after the Brood War expansion. Despite the cancellation, a novel was published called StarCraft Ghost: Nova, focused on the title's lead character.

It's always fascinating when builds like this one appear online. While StarCraft: Ghost will likely never see completion, fans can finally get a glimpse at what might have been. Like the early build of the Spider-Man 4 game that appeared online late last year, it's a fascinating find, both for fans, and for video game historians. Cancellations will always be a part of the video game industry, but leaks like these allow titles like StarCraft: Ghost to live on, in some form.

Despite the game's age, and its unfinished status, footage from the game looks fairly impressive. The game was announced in 2002 and, graphically speaking, it looks better than a lot of the titles released during that era! Despite the fact that the game was a bit out-of-the-ordinary for Blizzard, it's clear that everyone involved was dedicated to living up to the franchise's lofty standards.

Do you plan on seeking out a playable version of StarCraft: Ghost? What do you think of the footage from the build? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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