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Blizzard Cuts StarCraft II Starting Workers to Eight in Major PTR Overhaul

The PTR redesign seeks to lengthen early and mid-game to reopen opening strategies as players and pros test the changes.

Blizzard just dropped a game-changing Starcraft 2 update, a decade after its last expansion
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Overview

  • The PTR patch 5.0.16 went live on Friday, May 29, 2026, and reduces starting workers from 12 to eight while changing base mineral and vespene counts and lowering gas per trip on rich geysers.
  • Protoss changes move Warpgate research to the Cybernetics Core, add a 50 mineral and gas cost per Warpgate transformation, and shorten unit warp-in time to three seconds.
  • Zerg and Terran receive broad tweaks that slow creep spread, alter carapace costs and unit behaviors, re-enable Vipers to abduct Siege Tanks, and rework Ghost supply, health and range.
  • The patch bundles many quality-of-life fixes such as a 'Load Nearby Units' transport command, clearer EMP visuals, more consistent Colossus drops, and Mule repair set to auto-cast.
  • Players, content creators and pro analysts have reacted with surprise and excitement and are testing builds on the PTR, and Blizzard may revise the changes before they reach live servers which could reopen early all-in strategies and shift ladder and pro play.