Koprulu Sector

Lore & Background

The history of the Koprulu Sector begins with the Xel'Naga, who genetically engineered the Protoss and later the Zerg. When the Zerg turned on and consumed the Xel'Naga on Zerus, the sector was left to develop without them. In the late 23rd century, roughly 200 years before StarCraft began in 2499, the United Earth Directorate (UED) launched a colonization effort to solve overpopulation, but the automated navigation systems malfunctioned, propelling the ships far off course to the edge of Protoss space. Out of contact with Earth, these Terrans formed independent factions like the Confederacy and rebels led by Arcturus Mengsk. The Protoss remained hidden, observing humans from a distance without protecting them, until the Zerg began targeting Terrans for their psionic potential. This forced the Protoss to destroy tainted colonies, sparking a conflict that escalated into full-scale war involving the UED, the Dominion, and the Zerg Swarm.

In Their Own Story

StarCraft opens with the Terran Confederacy under attack by both Zerg and Protoss while facing internal rebellion from Arcturus Mengsk's forces. Mengsk eventually toppled the Confederacy by using Confederate technology to lure Zerg into attacking Tarsonis, crowning himself Emperor of the new Dominion. During this assault, he allowed the Zerg to capture his psionic second-in-command, Sarah Kerrigan, prompting commander Jim Raynor to desert with a small army. The Protoss, led by Tassadar and Zeratul, intervened but suffered heavy losses; Zeratul's assassination of a Zerg cerebrate inadvertently revealed Aiur's location to the Overmind. In Brood War, after Aiur fell, survivors evacuated to Shakuras under a fragile alliance. Kerrigan manipulated events to seize control of the Swarm, allying with and then betraying allies like Fenix and Raynor to defeat the UED fleet. Four years later in Wings of Liberty, Raynor formed Raiders to overthrow Mengsk, gathering Xel'Naga artifact pieces that revealed a prophecy of Zerg-Protoss hybrids wiping out all life unless Kerrigan was restored to humanity.

Reader's Guide

Navigating the Koprulu Sector requires understanding its volatile political landscape and diverse environments. Key systems include Tarsonis, the former Confederate capital now scarred by Zerg infestation; Char, the primary hive cluster of the Zerg where Raynor later invaded with Valerian Mengsk to restore Kerrigan's humanity; Shakuras, the dark templar homeworld that served as a refuge for Protoss survivors; and Mar Sara, a mining world where Raynor first discovered Xel'Naga artifacts. The sector's geography allows rapid fleet movements between systems while nebulae offer concealment for ambushes. Players witness the rise of the Terran Dominion under Mengsk, the evolution of Kerrigan from captive to Queen of Blades, and the desperate alliances formed against Amon's hybrid threat. Strategic control shifts constantly as new threats emerge, from UED invasion fleets to Zerg brood wars.

Did You Know?

• StarCraft debuted at the 1996 Electronic Entertainment Expo and used a modified Warcraft II game engine.
• By June 2007, StarCraft and Brood War had sold nearly 10 million copies combined.
• The franchise's lifetime revenue totaled over $1 billion by the end of 2017.
• StarCraft holds four Guinness World Records in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition of 2008.
• As of 2017, the original StarCraft, its Brood War expansion, and StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty are free to download and play from Blizzard's website.