A hit in 1995, Blizzard Entertainment faced an identity crisis following the success of Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, prompting a diverse array of projects from internal and external teams. Ongoing recognition for the sequel to Warcraft, and new projects like Diablo, Shattered Nations, Pax Imperia II, and Starcraft, they strived for quality over quantity. They made Starcraft more unique by creating three distinct factions, leading to 1.5 million copies sold in the first nine months of its release. A strong fanbase emerged in South Korea, where economic hardships and unemployment fueled the rise of gaming as a spectator sport, particularly for Starcraft.
https://www.filfre.net/2024/07/starcraft-a-history-in-two-acts/