Dev behind StarCraft "spiritual successor" Stormgate says the strategy game's mixed reviews are fine, but players shouldn't expect StarCraft devs to make StarCraft quality straight off the bat

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It hasn't been the best start for Stormgate

Stormgate screenshot featuring complex basebuilding
(Image credit: Frost Giant Studios)

Stormgate's developers think there's "some emotion" behind its mixed initial reviews, and that players need to temper expectations that former Blizzard veterans would make another StarCraft 2.

In a new interview with Bloomberg, Tim Morten, who used to be Blizzard's production direction on games like StarCraft 2, reacted to Stormgate's initial reviews. Arriving last month after a crowdfunding campaign to the tune of more than $35 million, first impressions of Stormgate were incredibly mixed, and the game peaked at around 5,000 concurrent PC players on Steam.

"I think for an Early Access game to live up to where StarCraft II is today is not a reasonable expectation," Morten said of the mixed reception to Stormgate at launch. "But it’s still psychologically where people are at, and I totally get it, because we came from Blizzard and we’re very much setting out to build a spiritual successor. But, yeah, I think there’s some emotion behind that initial reaction."

Morten also points out that Stormgate has launched into Steam Early Access with a deliberate focus of attracting feedback for iterating. "I think creatively, we feel that we need all of this feedback to get to the point that the game can really shine. That's very much an iterative process. It’s not something we can just get right on the first swing," the developer explained.

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.