Activision Blizzard has announced that Starcraft 2 will no longer receive any type of development updates. The title, which was once the flagship franchise of all of Blizzard Entertainment's games, is being put into Maintenance Mode. 

The only updates Starcraft 2 will receive from the Activision Blizzard development team going forward will be in the form of — as the term Maintenance Mode implies — maintenance. Blizzard will continue to fix bugs affecting the Starcraft 2 experience and will also continue its set of balance changes every few months to ensure the competitive SC2 esports scene. 

While Starcraft 2 will continue to exist, this news does mark the end of an era. Starcraft 2 was released over a decade ago and is one of the most storied esports in history. Many a pro esports career, regardless of game, can be traced back to Starcraft.

Maintenance Mode for SC2 doesn't necessarily mean the end for the Starcraft universe, however. In Activision Blizzard's official update, Executive Producer and Vice President of Classic Games Rob Bridenbecker implied that the developers would be using the time to figure out what could be coming next.

"We know some of our players have been looking forward to some of the things we’re moving away from, but the good news is this change will free us up to think about what’s next, not just with regard to StarCraft II, but for the StarCraft universe as a whole," wrote Bridenbecker. 

No other information has been announced regarding the future of the StarCraft franchise or Starcraft 2 specifically, but it's safe to expect more news from Blizzard regarding one of its most iconic titles in the near future. 

Head to our home page for the latest esports and gaming content.

Find full schedules, brackets, and more for your favorite esports on Juked.gg!