Nova Covert Ops DLC Missions Coming to StarCraft II Next Spring

[Steven Bogos]

Nova Covert Ops DLC Missions Coming to StarCraft II Next Spring

It's not known if Nova Covert Ops's three new missions will be paid DLC or a free download.

At Blizzard's Future of StarCraft panel during this year's BlizzCon [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/blizzcon%202015?os=blizzcon+2015], Blizzard laid out its future plans for StarCraft II now that Legacy of The Void is almost upon us. No additional expansions were revealed, but Blizzard plans to continue to support the game with "Mission Packs" - the first of which: Nova Covert Ops will be released sometime in Spring, 2016.

Nova Covert Ops is a series of nine missions, delivered in three episodic installments that take place after the events of Legacy of the Void. The story focuses on Nova and her involvement with a group of Terran separatists known as the "Defenders of Man," and just like in Kerrigan's Heart of The Storm missions, Nova will be directly controlled in each mission.

It's unknown how much Nova Covert Ops will cost, or whether it will be a free download like the Legacy of The Void prologue missions [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/conferences/e3-2015/14148-Starcraft-II-Legacy-of-The-Void-Free-Prequel], as all Blizzard said on the matter was to "stay tuned for more information including dates and pricing."

As for what may come after the Nova pack, Legacy of the Void Lead Designer Jason Huck said the team wants to see how fans react to the new pack first. "We didn't want people waiting two years for the next thing," he said, adding that the pack will have full cutscenes and voice over. "The packs will be tied together seamlessly if you end up playing through all nine missions together, but we will probably end the 3-mission installments on a cliffhanger."


Source: Blizzard [http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/19954442/starcraft-ii-the-future-of-starcraft-panel-recap-11-6-2015]

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[flying_whimsy]

I guess blizzard realized they needed to put her in something so she wouldn't seem like she came out of nowhere for heroes of the storm: guess they realized not everyone was aware of the cancelled Starcraft Ghost. I'll take the odds that they'll charge for the dlc, though.

Still would have preferred the Ghost game, though: if anything all of these attempts to work her character back into other blizzard products is getting kind of insulting.

 

[tzimize]

Free download xD

My prediction is: 9 missions, 3 installments/dlc. 19.99 each. Seems fair. Right? RIGHT?

If they end Legacy on a cliffhanger to strain it out in dlc I will froth at the mouth, and be done with Starcraft.

 

[Bolt-206]

I guess blizzard realized they needed to put her in something so she wouldn't seem like she came out of nowhere for heroes of the storm: guess they realized not everyone was aware of the cancelled Starcraft Ghost. I'll take the odds that they'll charge for the dlc, though.

Still would have preferred the Ghost game, though: if anything all of these attempts to work her character back into other blizzard products is getting kind of insulting.

She had appearances in both Wings of Liberty and Heart of the Swarm, the former even having a section where you control her to take down a rogue Spectre, should you side with her during that section.

As for this, consider me interested, though I'm going to have to wonder how long they plan to keep this up - SC2 appearances already look a little dated in some areas, and interest is going to eventually wane, unless something interesting happens for the franchise.

 

[Ishigami]

"One of StarCraft?s most memorable characters"

What the fuck are they smoking at Blizzard these days?

And:

 

[Hawki]

"One of StarCraft?s most memorable characters"

What the fuck are they smoking at Blizzard these days?

And:

Nova's always been one of the most recognisable StarCraft characters. Faulty analogy to an extent, but you can consider her to be the Boba Fett of the series:

-Both make small appearances in two installments of a trilogy (Nova's been hinted to be in LotV, but that aside)

-Both are recognisable due to their visual distinction/personality within said setting

-Both have a mountain-load of EU material to draw from

-Both are popular in fan circles

-Both have/will have their own spinoff installment (Nova has Covert Ops, Boba Fett will supposedly have his own movie)

Nova gets the benefit in that she was going to have her own game and featured prominently in said material for that game, and features prominently in Heroes of the Storm materials as well, while Fett wins out in that he's been fleshed out more over the years (Star Wars has been around longer than StarCraft after all). I remember a line from a reviewer on Nova - "Nova is perhaps the fourth most fleshed out character in the setting. Unfortunately, few know that." (paraphrased).

 

[irishda]

Free download xD

My prediction is: 9 missions, 3 installments/dlc. 19.99 each. Seems fair. Right? RIGHT?

If they end Legacy on a cliffhanger to strain it out in dlc I will froth at the mouth, and be done with Starcraft.

Blizzard's usually pretty good with making sure DLC is loaded with enough stuff to justify the price (incoming WoW expansion posts in 3..2..1..), and the stories for SC2 have all been extremely good at balancing resolution with just enough loose ends to keep the story going in order to keep the trilogy interesting. I see no reason for them to change that formula with last second DLC.