SC2 blog Exclusive : Yellow Crystals!

The following shot is taken from the recently released PC Gamer StarCraft 2 video: At 1:31 minutes into the video, you can clearly see the bright golden-yellow crystals at the top right corner of the screen, right next to the Vespene gas deposit - effectively proving that the Yellow Crystals are a mineable resource and not a doodad.

* all other footage features blue crystals only.

By introducing an additional, possibly more valuable version of the basic blue crystals, Blizzard is following in Westwood’s footsteps, who added Blue Tiberium to their Command and Conquer franchise. Blue Tiberium is the more valuable version of the normal, green Tiberium - yielding twice as many credits per volume. Could this be the idea behind yellow mineral crystals?

If this is indeed the case, the gameplay implications are vast, especially for island maps and other difficult expansion spots which could provide a much faster and greater return of investment for the daring fast-expanding player. Introducing super-rewarding expansion spots to existing maps could greatly alter gameplay and strategy. Imagine a StarCraft 2 Lost Temple game: instead of the useless temple in the center, you get to fight over a higher quality mineral cluster! Having one expansion providing twice the amount of resources over the same period of time is surely something worth fighting for.

Whatever the actual purpose of the yellow crystals may be, the introduction of an additional type of resource to the game is exciting, and is sure to have many implications on the gameplay.

Additional theories explaining the existense of Yellow Crystals.