Blizzard just pulled off a classic move – dropping remasters of Warcraft and Warcraft 2 with no prior warning. The reveal coincided with the company’s 30th anniversary celebration, featuring a trailer packed with side-by-side comparisons of the original graphics and the new, hand-drawn visuals.
Let’s address the obvious question: why remaster these classics now? While the Warcraft 2 remaster had leaked, the first Warcraft was a surprise. According to franchise manager Brad Chan, these updates aim to respect the games’ original art style while offering a refreshed look. The result? Visuals that are undeniably cleaner, with a more cartoony vibe, but still aiming to capture the charm of the originals.
One of the standout features is the ability to swap between the remastered visuals and the original pixel art in real time. It’s a smart move, offering nostalgia for long-time fans while giving newcomers a polished introduction. From the footage shown, the transition appears seamless, but will the new style hold up during hours-long campaigns?
Both remasters bring more than just cosmetic changes. The games now support modern resolutions like 16:9 and offer updated controls – goodbye, clunky hotkey navigation. Quality-of-life improvements include better UI, such as tooltips, health bars, and more flexible unit selection, fixing some of the frustrations from the originals.
For Warcraft 2, multiplayer fans will be pleased to know that legacy custom maps remain fully compatible. Chan reassured fans that these maps, a hallmark of the Warcraft community, are as accessible as ever.
You can grab the remasters separately—$9.99 for Warcraft and $14.99 for Warcraft 2. Or, if you’re in for the full retro-modern Warcraft experience, there’s the $39.99 Battle Chest. It includes both remasters and Warcraft 3: Reforged, which also received a significant update aimed at improving its rocky reputation.
Blizzard wasn’t content with just remastering the classics. They also revealed that Warcraft Arclight Rumble, their mobile RTS, will be playable on PC starting December 10, albeit in beta. Meanwhile, Warcraft 3: Reforged continues its slow climb back into players’ good graces with a 2.0 update aimed at addressing its long-standing issues.
Are these remasters worth your time, or do they fall short of their promise? You tell us.
