Top Gaming Moment # 66: May 19th, 2007

Source: GameSpot, IGN

Of all the RTS games to ever hit the PC, none have ever been as successful, long lived or popular as Blizzard’s StarCraft. With literally thousands of active players from all over the world, most notably Korea, where it amounts to a national sport, StarCraft is the most played RTS title in history; even after almost ten years. For me, StarCraft represents everything I love about RTS games and is THE main reason I became addicted to competitive tournaments in the first place.

Being the world’s capital for StarCraft gamers, it was only fitting that Blizzard would chose Seoul, South Korea, as their venue to announce the most anticipated RTS game ever, StarCraft 2. Unveiled during the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational, Blizzard president Mike Morhaime, without yet saying a word about StarCraft 2, let the game announce itself by playing a short trailer featuring a Terran solider being outfitted with armor. The crowd, who were already frothing at the mouth just anticipating this moment, went crazy. The roars and cheers of approval must have made Morhaime and lead designer Dustin Browder feel like gods at that moment. I have to admit, I woke the neighbors with my own cheers as I watched it.

Find out what other StarCraft 2 information was announced and why it made the list, after the jump!

Mr. Browder then walks the euphoric crowd through what Blizzard has been working on for all these long years since StarCraft 1. Incredible video demo’s for all three factions (Terran, Protoss & Zerg) highlight that while the core of what made StarCraft 1 great is still present, this sequel adds a hell of a lot more in terms of not only graphics, but incredible amounts of new units, tactics, game play and level design. When I watched the segment of video that highlighted the new Protoss mothership, I almost passed out. If the crowd was euphoric before, at this point thousands of Korean gamers and other worldwide SC alumni are now in a pure state of bliss.

The demonstration ends with an all out battle between Terran and Protoss armies, who are both then massacred by Zerg forces. The Zerg units then move around to spell out GG (good game). Blizzard did not announce a release date at the event (and still hasn’t) but a late 2008, early 2009 release seems within reason. For me, anything longer than RIGHT NOW is too long of a wait, but I digress.

For finally ending the almost decade long anticipation of RTS gamers everywhere, and for making thousands of South Korean gamers lose their minds, the announcement of StarCraft 2 checks in at number 66 on Sarcastic Gamer’s top 100 Gaming moments of 2007!

Click here for the rest of Sarcastic Gamer’s Top 100 Gaming Moments from 2007 all in one place!

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