Blizzard's decision to kill StarCraft: Ghost is among the most notorious video game cancellations. StarCraft: Ghost was meant to be a third-person stealth-action game in the vein of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell, but constant shifts in focus led to a messy development cycle, ultimately causing Blizzard to shell the project.
Prior to StarCraft: Ghost's 2002 announcement, Blizzard had entrusted the game - and the StarCraft license - to a small development called studio Nihilistic Software (now nStigate Games), which was co-founded by former LucasArts devs. The GameCube-, PS2-, and original Xbox-exclusive StarCraft: Ghost was meant to follow a psychically trained operative named Nova, who was subsequently introduced into other StarCraft series content. But by 2004, Blizzard had taken Nihilistic off the project, transferring it to Swingin' Ape Studios. StarCraft: Ghost then went un-cancelled for many years, at least officially, instead remaining in an odd limbo.
It wasn't until 2014 that Blizzard finally confirmed StarCraft: Ghost's cancellation in an offhand comment to Polygon. More information has since surfaced about StarCraft: Ghost's messy development. Here's why Blizzard cancelled StarCraft: Ghost.
StarCraft: Ghost's Development Problems
Much of the information about StarCraft: Ghost's cancellation comes from a lengthy World of Warcraft launch and the release of the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Recently leaked StarCraft: Ghost gameplay shows the title's "identity crisis," as Nihilistic described it, with both stealth and shooting gameplay that looks imprecise and unrefined. The leaked footage is apparently from a 2003 build, according to poster Stranno on YouTube, meaning it was created during Nihilistic's time on the project.
Blizzard seems to have cancelled a StarCraft first-person shooter, leaving fans hopeful for an eventual StarCraft: Ghost revival out of luck. Instead, they'll just have to make do the Blizzard-themed Nova Overwatch skin.