StarCraft: Retribution

StarCraft: Retribution is the second official third-party add-on for Blizzard's iconic 1998 real-time strategy game. Developed by Stardock and published by WizardWorks, it offers a new single-player campaign and a massive collection of multiplayer maps without altering StarCraft's core gameplay or unit roster. The campaign is set on the arid world Aridus, where the three races, Protoss, Terran, and Zerg, compete for the mythical Argus Stone, an artifact of immense power. The narrative unfolds across 30 missions, 10 per race, with shifting alliances, betrayals, and the series' trademark bloodshed. Notably, Retribution was praised for its mission design: players typically start with a pre-built base and fortifications, eliminating early-game tedium and forcing immediate tactical thinking. The difficulty is infamous, regularly demanding near-perfect execution even in the opening missions. The package also includes 130 new multiplayer maps, vastly extending the game's online lifespan. As a pure content expansion with no engine changes, Retribution requires the original StarCraft to play and relies entirely on the strength of its mission scripting and map design. It was released in 1999 for Windows 95/98 at a suggested retail price of $19.99.