StarCraft 2’s former lead multiplayer designer teases a new RTS he feels is a “paradigm shift” for the genre

The former multiplayer lead for RTS giant StarCraft 2 is working on a new real-time strategy game that he promises will mark a “paradigm shift” for the storied PC genre.

David Kim formed new studio Uncapped Games back in 2021 alongside fellow strategy veterans with credits across the likes of Blizzard classics StarCraft and (non-World of) WarCraft, Warhammer 40k RTS Dawn of War and Relic’s WWII gem Company of Heroes. Kim is serving as senior game director, with the untitled project apparently in the works for more than a decade before ending up under Tencent’s Lightspeed Studios division.

Part of what Kim believes marks the game out is its renewed focus on being approachable and fun rather than highly demanding on players’ reflexes and memorisation skills – something I appreciate on behalf of those of us former Brood War players now over 30 whose APM often measures in the single-digits these days.

Rather than matches coming down to ruthless efficiency and complex execution of commanders, the game will apparently prioritise being easy to learn and offering strategic decision-making – though it’ll still have plenty of those real-time elements, being an RTS and all. (Thanks, PC Gamer.)

“Players will define their own way to play and focus on commanding fast-paced, large-scale battles,” Kim said. “Players will enjoy more moment-to-moment strategic decision-making in each game, instead of waiting for that next fun action moment.”

A Noclip documentary teases more about the project that Kim says will present a “paradigm shift” for the RTS genre by taking things back to basics and inviting new players in. We’ll be able to see and find out more in June, with a full reveal due during this year’s Summer Game Fest.