Blizzard revealed today that the big annual convention celebrating its popular game franchises such as World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch has been canceled. Instead of the weekend-long event usually packed with reveals and announcements, Blizzard plans to host multiple in-person events around the world to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Warcraft.

The party will return

Despite the cancellation, Blizzard does confirm that it plans to bring BlizzCon back in future years. The company also plans to a??ttend various trade shows and conventions throughout 2024 such as Gamescom. Even though Blizzard usually attends them anyway, it does make sense not to host a big event when there probably really isn't anything *new* to announce this year.

This is also the first yea??r after following the massive $68.7 billion acquisition of Activ?ision Blizzard by Microsoft. It's quite possible that Papa Microsoft just doesn't have enough time to Microsoft-ify the convention that is normally held in November.

One of Blizzard's flagship franchises, Warcraft, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. To celebrate, Blizzard is still planning to host multiple global in-person events as well as in-game celebrations throughout its Warcraft games.

A year of big expansions

At the end of the day, this makes a lot of sense. Even without a BlizzCon 2024, this is a massive year for Blizzard, primarily because of its upcoming expansions for its biggest franchises. The now two-decades-old MMORPG World of Warcraft is set to see the launch of World of Warcraft: The War Within, a major expansion that is the first of three designed to reignite the MMORPG as part of The Worldsoul Saga.

Also scheduled for release this year is the first-ever expansion of Action RPG Diablo 4 with Vessel of Hatred. Scheduled for late 2024, Vessel of Hatred introduces a completely new class never seen before in the Diablo franchise as players adventure to a new playable region called Nah?antu, a m??ystical jungle.

As a long-time Blizzard fan who plays all its games pretty regularly, I'm happy to see Blizzcon skip a year if it means these very promising and important expansions get some extra love to make them all they c??an be for release. W??e can throw the party next year.

The post BlizzCon 2024 is canceled but other in-person events planned for 30th anniversary of Warcraf??t appeared first on Destructoid.

Even though Warcraft Rumble just released today, or yesterday for some regions, its first Season is already under way. The first season focuses on a new playable leader, Sylvanas Windrunner. Players will be able to add Sylvanas to their collection of Leaders via the Guild War?chest, PvP, or via the store. She will also be added to the G.R.I.D. at the start of Season 2.

Sylvanas seems like a pretty interesting Leader, having played Warcraft Rumble just a little bit. Here are he??r base abilit??ies and talents:

Abilities

• Bowshot: Baseline attack is a ranged, single target, physical damage.
• Haunt: On death, Sylvanas summons a Banshee unit which operates just like a normal Banshee.
• Leader Ability: Windrunner Warchief (Passive): Horde and Undead minis near Sylvanas gain a movement speed boost.

Talents

• Black Arrow: Pierce through enemies in a line, dealing Elemental damage.
• Banshee's Wail: Scream on Death, Stunning nearby enemies for 3 seconds.
• Forsaken Fury: Horde and Undead near Sylvanas gain Fury.

Blizzard seems pretty invested in Warcraft Rumble, and honestly, from what I've played, it's pretty fun. It's cool to s??ee it launching with a new season...I'm excited to see what other Leaders we'll see in the future.

The post Warcraft R?umble Season 1 starts today, features Sylvanas appeared first on Destructoid.

The Wrath of the Lich King expansion was arguably the peak of World of Warcraft. The team was firing on all cylinders, coming off of the already impressive Burning Crusade, and growing its player base steadily. Then Cataclysm hit, ??and some f?olks were torn on its efficacy as a follow-up.

Well, it's back! In Classic form.

World of Warcraft Cataclysm Classic is coming in 2024 with "feedback" in tow

WoW: Classic, the "what's old is new again" re-release of older expansions, is moving beyond Wrath of the Lich King in the next year. As was the case with prior WoW Classic updates, Cataclysm Classic will not be a 1:1 recreation of the original expansion that debuted in 2010. Instead, it'll involve "feed??back" from the? community (and a heap of quality of life changes), which will be clarified further into the BlizzCon 2023 weekend.

The release date/window for World of Warcraft Cataclsylm Classic is the "first half of next year [2024]."

We're also getting World of Warcraft Classic: Season of Discovery

Blizzard vaguely revealed World of Warcraft Classic: Season of Discovery, which is launching imminently on November 30. A "tanking Warlock" and a "Mage healer" were teased as potential weird twists on the typical WoW formula. It'll have a level cap ??of 25, which will provide a "l??evel 25 endgame," which includes a 25-person Blackfathom raid. Then the level cap will be raised "every few months" and will continue on afterward.

According to Blizzard, Season of Discovery will also feature a new Rune and Rune-Engraving systems. Throughout the world players can discover special runes that provide access to new abilities, some of which have never been in WoW Classic. Players can then apply a limited number o??f these runes via rune-engraving, which allows them to swap out abilities when not in combat to create new builds.

In addition to the new raids, each level cap zone will host some world PvP ev??e??nts as well. For example, the Level 25 PvP zone will be in Ashenvale.

There will be "no testing," which is sure to go over well! But seriously, the idea o?f the community going into this new zany formula together, completely in the dark, is neat.

The post ??Blizzard announces World?? of Warcraft Cataclysm Classic, Season of Discovery appeared first on Destructoid.

During BlizzCon 2023, Blizzard revealed the first expansion for Diablo 4 titled Vessel of Hatred. Details were sparse, but?? the expansion will focus on Mephisto, one of the three Prime Evils. The expansion will ??take place in the Jungles of Torajan and feature a brand new class.

According to Blizzard t?he expansion is still early on in development and more information will be available in Summer 2024. No fi?rm release date was provided, but the brief trailer revealed a timeframe of Late 2024.

Timing wise it makes sense, as Blizzard confirmed earlier this year that Diablo 4 will receive annual expansions alongside its quarterly seasons. This likely means we will have another two or even three seasons before the Vessel of Hatred expansion releases.

The post Diablo 4 first expansion is Vessel of Hatred, comin??g Late 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

BlizzCon 2023 is less than 30 minutes away, but Overwatch 2 fans won't have to wait to get a glimpse of the next hero coming to the shooter. Fans over at the /r/Overwatch/ reddit noticed an ad on the Nintendo Switch News tab indicating the upcoming hero, M?auga, will be available for a free trial weekend.

The beefy hero Mauga wields dual chainguns to shred his enemies. Mauga will join Overwatch 2 as part of Sea?son 8 which releases on D??ecember 5.

Chances are Blizzcon will officially announce Mauga when BlizzCo?n 2023 kicks off, and it appears the hero will be playable via a trial weekend ahead of his release.

UPDATE: As expect, Mauga has b?een confirmed as the new hero at BlizzCon 2023. Mauga will dualwield chainguns he name?d Gunny and Cha-Cha, as he mows through front-lines. Abilities appear to be:

• Incendiary Chaingun â€?Ignites enemies.
• Volatile Chaingun â€?Crits burning enemies.
• Overrun â€?Unstoppable charge.
• Cardiac Overdrive â€?Damages enemies while Mauga gains life.
• Cage Fight â€?Infinite ammunition

As previously mentioned, Mauga will indeed release in Overwatch 2 on all platforms on December 5.

The post Overwatch 2’s next hero, Mauga, confirmed at Blizzcon after leaking on Nintendo Switch eShop appeared first on Destructoid.

Blizzard has been on the back foot for a while, especially after their flood of bad press and the poor launch of several key games (like Warcraft III: Reforged, among others). Now, they're finding themselves backed into a corner with their 2023 BlizzCon bundles. What's the i??ssue? Well, the value prospect, for o??ne, coupled with the poor current state of several of their games.

Let's go over what the bundles actually are, and you can make a decision from there.

So for $29.99,? the?? "Epic Pack" comes with the following:

• World of Warcraft: Dragonflight: new Ysergle pet and the Chilling Celebration Banner toy
• Diablo IV: the ferocious Lapisvein Mount, the Cobalt Ensign Mount Trophy, and the Demon-Mother Countenance Mount Trophy*
• Overwatch 2: 1,000 credits, a Murky weapon charm, and a mystery name card
• Hearthstone: a BlizzCon 2023 cardback, 5 Standard packs, and 5 Golden Standard packs
• Warcraft Rumble: the Murloc Kobold portrait and skin

For $49.99, the "Legendary Pack" comes with everything from t??he E??pic Pack, plus:

• World of Warcraft: Dragonflight: the Bound Blizzard flying mount
• Diablo IV: the fearsome Midnight Harness Mount Armor and a Premium Battle Pass redeemable for any one season
• Overwatch 2: the Drowned Warrior Sigma Epic skin as well as a Season 7 Premium Battle Pass
• Hearthstone: a mystery Signature Legendary card
• Warcraft Rumble: the Murloc Tower skin

The heart of the issue lies with the current state of any given Blizzard game

As someone who has played all of the above games at some point, and is arguably the target audience for some of these digital goods: this is an extremely underwhelming display of bonuses. The core problem is that there isn't one incredibly strong game among them holding up the bundle, and Blizzard is putting far too much stock in the current quality of the whole spread itself. Diablo 4 in particular is undergoing lots of growing pains, as is Overwatch 2, primarily due to its overpromised PVE?? element and its occasionally obscene monetization strategy. This bu??ndle assumes you play, and like, at least the majority of these games.

In fact, using Overwatch 2 as a prime example of why these bundles are underwhelming, the game has a Premium Battle Pass, as wel??l as an Ultimate Pass bundle running concurrently with this BlizzCon promo. Note that the "1000 Overwatch credits" in the aforementioned BlizzCon bundles are in fact old currency, and not the new Overwatch 2 "coin" currency.

It's simply too much to keep track of, and Blizzard has lost the plot. Its marketing arms and free-to-play strategists are dominating the conversation more than the game itself. Th??ankfully, ??you can skip these bundles and just watch a lot of the show for free (though Virtual tickets will prov?ide?? more footage and specific breakout streams).

The post 2023’s BlizzCon bundles are once again underwhelming appeared first on Destructoid.

Most expensive BlizzCon yet

Blizzard has revealed ticket details and pricing for their upcoming BlizzCon 2023 event. This will be the first in-person BlizzCon after a four year hiatus. The conference is usually an exciting meetup for fans of Blizzard's biggest games including their Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft, and Overwatch franchises.

In the past the event also included new game announcements and World of Warcraft expansion reveals.

[caption id="attachment_389827" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Activision Blizzard[/caption]

BlizzCon 2023 Ticket Prices

The General Admission ticket is a whopping $299 for the two-day event. The ticket includes access to all halls during the event, early access to the BlizzCon Store, event-specific in-?game goodies, and a BlizzCon backpack.

Those looking to spend more money can opt for the Portal Pass ticket for $799. The Portal Pass includes everything the General Admission ticket as well as access to the Portal Pass Lounge. According to the ticket page, the Portal Pass Lounge is a private viewing lounge with private concessions, gameplay experiences, concierge support, Blizzard employee meet-and-greets, and more. You also get access to a separate registration and s??ecurity line.

With previous BlizzCon's, there was also a charity dinner which included a Portal Pas??s t?icket. There does not appear to be any reference to the dinner this time around, however.

Virtual Ticket returns but will be optional

The entire event will be livestreamed for free this year. In ??the past a $40 to $50 Virtual Ticket was required to?? watch the stream after the opening ceremony.

Although not required to view the livestream, it appears a Virtual Ticket will stil??l be available as an optional purchase. Purchase of the ticket grants you access to the event-specific in-game goodies as well as early access to BlizzCon merch and more.

At $150 per day for the General Admission ticket, this seems like a very expensive event. The Portal Pass looks as though you're giving Blizzard an extra $500 to skip the registration and security line. That being sa?id, it's great they are opting to livestream the entire event for free. The developer panels and community contests can be very entertaining, so it's great fans don't have to purchase the Virtual Ticket to watch along.

BlizzCon? 2023 will take place in Anaheim, California on November 3-4. Tickets to the event go on sale Saturday, July 8 at 10AM PDT. A second wave of tickets will go on sale Saturday, July 22 at 10AM PDT.

The post BlizzCon 2023 tickets start at $300, will be ??streamed for free appeared first on Destructoid.

Game announcements will still roll out, though

Blizzard Entertainment has announced it won't be hosting a BlizzConline event early next ??year any more. The company has said it will be putting that energy into supporting its teams and progressing development of its games instead.

This news arrives as Activision Blizzard has been at the center of several investigations following a lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, alleging discrimination and a toxic workplace culture. Employees have organized letters and a walkout. Several Blizzard members have already departed the company, including top-level leadership like J. Allen Brack and the former Overwatch executive producer.

Some references to Blizzard employees within its own games have also been removed following some departures. The gun-toting cowboy of Overwatch was recently renamed to Cole Cassidy as part of these revisions.

In today's statement on BlizzConline, the company says that despite not hosting a BlizzCon event in February, it will still be making announcements and updates for its games. "We're proud of our teams and the progress they've made acro??ss our games," the statement reads. "We have a lot of exciting upcoming news and releases to share with you."

Blizz??ard also says it is taking some time to "reimagine" what BlizzCon might look like in the future:

"Whatever the ev?ent looks like in the future, we also need to ensure that it feels as safe, welcoming, a??nd inclusive as possible. We’re committed to continual communication with our players, and we see BlizzCon playing a big role in that going forward. We’re excited about what we’ll do with the event when we revisit it in the future."

The post Blizzard cancels plans?? for ?its upcoming BlizzConline appeared first on Destructoid.

Another online event is in the works though

Blizzard has confirmed today that there won't be plans to try and return to an in-person Bliz??zCon this year. The company announced today that it will not be hosting a BlizzCon this year.

Today's statement notes the amount of preparation large event??s like these entail, from both inside Blizzard and organizing the p??roduction and competition side as well.

?"The ongoing complexities and uncertainties of the pandemic have impacted our ability to properly move forward on many of these fronts," wrote Saralyn Smith, e??xecutive producer of BlizzCon. "And ultimately we’re now past the point where we’d be able to develop the kind of event we’d want to create for you in November.

While there won't be any in-person festivities, Blizzard does say it's still planning for something online similar to its recent BlizzConline event, albeit not this year. Blizzard says it's planning a global event for the e??arly p??art of next year, combining the online show aspect of BlizzConline with "smaller in-person gatherings," and that it will share more as plans come together.

This isn't too surprising, and likely the best choice, as many events are still opting to host online virtual experiences. Plus, it seems like the games most would want to see from Blizzard, like Diablo IV and Overwatch 2, are still a ways out.

The post Blizzard won’t be hosting a BlizzCon this year appeared first on Destructoid.

Instead, the team covered a ton of work-in-progress ground

In a twist, Overwatch 2 skipped the BlizzConline opening ceremony, but Jeff Kaplan and the team had plenty – and I mean plenty – to cover in the ensuing "Behind the Scenes of Overwatch 2" presentation.

From new maps like Rome and New York City, to a few enticing peeks at ability-modifying skill trees for PvE, to mini-boss-looking Null Sector foes, the developers touched on a bunch of facets of Overwatch 2. On the one hand, I appreciate the super-wide view; on the other, so much of this feels subject to change in a way that makes it hard, as a lapsed Overwatch fan, to latch on to any one element.

My takeaways so far? I love that the new hero Sojourn is showing up for railgun fans. Overwatch needed a?? railgun. I'm also? continuing to enjoy the sequel's new looks for the existing cast. Here's the latest:

As for everything else, I'm struggling to get too invested until things are – or at least feel – concrete.

"We're going to cross the finish line, and it's going to be awesome," said Kaplan, who added that the team is striving to make it feel like a "tru??e sequel." See you in ??2022? With a beta? That's my guess.

The post Overwatch 2 didn’t get a release window at BlizzConline appeared first on Destructoid.

Announced today at BlizzCon

Blizzard cannot escape its past.

Look, they've made some really great games as of late. World of Warcraft waxes and wanes, naturally, but some modern expansions have made incredible advancements. Diablo III also sold incredibly well, and brought the series back to consoles for the first time since the original PlaySt?ation. Blizzard has been embracing consoles in general actually in recent years: it's been great to see.

But hardcore fans always want to return to the classics. And Diablo II has been a huge sore spot for folks ever since the more vibrant Diablo III was announced. Well, in addition to the darker themes of Diablo IV, those players are going to get another option to return to: a Diablo II remake.

Today at the BlizzCon 2021 opening ceremony, Blizzard confirmed the long-rumored project Diablo II Resurrected, which in turn reconfirmed their commitment to older games. It'll be on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S with cross-progression. An alpha starts today (you can sign up at this site), and is supposedly out in 2021.

Let's just hope it ends up better than Warcraft III Reforged.

The post Diablo II Resurrected is real, and is going to p?lease a lot of Diablo ??purists appeared first on Destructoid.

Rack 'em up as the Rogue

It took a while, but we made it. We made it to the Diablo section of BlizzConline 2021 and we got our first look at the Diablo IV Rogue in action with a trailer.

That was Blizzard's big reveal, at least for the opening ceremony. Game director Luis Barriga said the nimble fighter has been re-envisioned for the new game, and the footage we saw involved zipping around to stab demons,? flinging arrows, and dropping caltrops.

We also got a look?? at the motherload of all ear collections.

The Diablo IV Rogue can prioritize melee (swords and daggers) or ranged (bows and crossbows) and specialize in Shadow Realm (become immune for one second and pull targeted enemies into the Shadow Realm where you deal 50 percent more damage), Exploit Weakness (retaliate with critical strikes at the right moment if you have fast enough reflexes and can play "like a surgeon"), or Combo Points (build up combos with ba??sic attacks to enhance your skills).

For extra elemental oomph, Diablo IV's Rogue class can play around with frost, poison, and shadow imbues for their attacks. "They can control the fluid motion of combat in a wa?y that no other class can," said Barriga.

A few pre-alpha scree??nshots to tide us over until... when is this game coming out, again?

As part of today's BlizzConline proceedings, the team also shared a "Diablo IV: What's Next" talk.

The post Diablo IV’s latest class reveal is the Rogue and she’s got quite the ear collection appeared first on Destructoid.

Announced today at BlizzConline

Fresh off of several expansions (as is the custom for Hearthstone), B?lizzard is ditching the Year of the Phoenix rotation and heading into the Year of the Grif?fin.

Ysera the Dreamer, Malygos the Spellweaver, and Deathwing the Destroyer are in, as is previously announced "Classic mode," where you can play the game like Hearthstone ??originally was. Also, the Year of the Griffin is kicking off with the "Forged in the Barrens" expansion, and a 30 Years of Blizzard card back.

Hearthstone Mercenaries is the big new announcement, which is "strategic RPG gameplay" where you "build teams," of heroes like Ragnaros and Sylvanas. The standard format is getting its shakeup still with the already-announced, but new 235-card core set, so there's going to be a lot of changes coming to the game. Amazingly, the new core set is free: which, for Hearthstone, is not something you hear often!

The post Hear??thstone goes back to its roots with Classic mode, and looks to the future with Forged in the Barre?ns appeared first on Destructoid.

Selama ashal'anore!

This moment has been a long time comi???ng for Destructoid readers.

For years we've mused on our favorite expansions and moments in World of Warcraft history. While Wrath of the Lich King took the top spot as the most-favored expansion, Burning Crusade ??;was right on its heels in second place:? and my personal favorite era to boot.

Even just a few months ago we discussed and voted on where we'd like to see World of Warcraft Classic go next. To Outland it is!

Today at BlizzCon 2021, Blizzard has announced that Burning Crusade will indeed be incorporated into the mix of "Classic." It was kind of inevitable, given that Classic hit its end point, but we didn't really know when Blizzard would decide to reveal all that. This week, it seems! Or more accurately, a few months ago when BlizzCon would have happened in person in Anaheim, California.

Since this is a lot to parse, here's all the full info from Blizzard below. In short, content will "roll out in phases," and "players can decide whether to advance each of their characters to the new era" or "continue playing the original Classic content on new "Classic Era" servers.

Burning Crusade, like Classic, will be included i??n your subscription. It??'s allegedly out in 2021.

• Rediscover the Broken World of Outland – Flee the fel reavers who roam Hellfire Peninsula, dive deep beneath the swamps of Zangarmarsh to confront what lurks below, and clash with the demonic agents of the Burning Legion in the shadow of the Black Temple.
• Join the Fight as a Blood Elf or Draenei – The ranks of the Horde and the Alliance grow! Fight for the Horde as the blood elves, seeking a new source of the arcane power that once sustained them, or join the Alliance as the draenei, exiles from Outland in search of a new home.
• The Saga Unfolds Over Time – Content from the original game will roll out in phases, at a cadence paced for the WoW Classic community. Prepare for the opening of the Black Temple, gear up to confront the gods of Zul’Aman, and gather your allies to face the fury of the Sunwell.
• Burning Crusade Features Reborn – Prove your prowess in the Arena PvP system, enhance your gear with the Jewelcrafting profession, take to the skies over Outland on flying mounts, choose whether to seek the aid of the Aldor or the Scryers of Shattrath, and much more.
• Choose Your Era – Prior to Burning Crusade Classic’s release, WoW Classic players can decide whether to advance each of their characters to the Burning Crusade era with the rest of their realm, or to continue playing the original WoW Classic content on new Classic Era servers.
• Included With Existing World of Warcraft Subscript?ions – As with WoW Classic, anyone who subscribes to World of Warcraft can also play Burning Crusade Classic at no additional cost, giving players the freedom to enjoy multiple eras of Azeroth at their own pace.

The post World of Warcraft C??lassic is adding the best expansion, Burning Crusade, into the mix appeared first on Destructoid.

In 'Chains of Domination'

World of Warcraft proper was not left out of the BlizzCon 2021 news cycle, as Shadowlands is still trucking. Well, I might add!

I still play it weekly, and it looks like I'm going to have a lot more to do soon when the "Chains of Domination" update hits. As is the case with most WoW patches this is a huge chunk of content all? at once, ??and there's a lot to unpack here.

Chains of Domination picks up after the last raid with the defeat of Sire Denathrius, who is but a smaller pawn in this larger game for the fate of the Shad?owlands. You'll head to Korthia, "City of Secrets," in the next major story zone that will sport new quests and "outdoor activities." Also, the covenants will have an expanded role in the story as they are no longer just on the defense (you have been gathering all that anima for a reason, right?), which will culminate in a new raid battle, "Sanctum of Domination."

This one seems like a doozy, featuring the "true Eye of the Jailer," the Tarragrue, and Sylvanas! You'll also be able to head?? into a new mega-dungeon (Tazavesh, the Veiled Market) which is themed after the popular Brokers race. Oh, and PVP se?ason 2 is starting, as well as new Mythic Keystone dungeon themes, more covenant armor, more mounts/pets...and flying! The latter of which will be enabled in "the covenant's four domains" (read: the four main zones).

It's pretty much what everyone could have wanted from a Shadowlands update: I just hope there's some quality of life changes baked in there too f??or the game as? a whole.

The post World of Warcraft is fi??nally letting people fight Sylvanas in an upcoming raid appeared first on Destructoid.

It's coming to PC and consoles on February 19

Blizzard is always down to mine nostalgi??a, and they're doing just that...thrice, today.

Live at BlizzCon 2021, the publisher has announced "The Blizzard Arcade Collection," which is an "enhanced release" of The Lost Vikings, Rock N Roll Racing, and Blackthorne. This pack is coming tonight on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch (n??ice!), and will feature PS5 and Xbox Series X backward compatibility.

It's $19.99, and will also be included in "The Celebration Collection" on PC, as well as the "Blizzard 30-Year Celebration Collection" on consol?es. So what's changed??? Here's a full rundown from Blizzard:

• Watch Mode – The Original Editions of The Lost Vikings and Blackthorne include watch mode, letting players watch a playthrough of the game and jump in to take control at any point.
• Save Anywhere – With the exception of the Definitive Edition of Rock N Roll Racing, each version of the game includes the ability to save progress anywhere. 
• The Museum – A digital museum is included, with an array of bonus materials, such as game art, development assets, unused content, lore, interviews, and more.

As someone who has played these games repeatedly for several decades, the latter is the one I'm most excited for. New lore and interviews for The Lost Vikings? Sign me up.

The post Blizzard is bringing back Blackthorne, The Lost Vikings, and Rock N Roll?? Racing, TODAY appeared first on Destructoid.

Love a good Friday afternoon stream with the Destructoid fam

The cat might be out of the bag with multiple leaked announcements, including Burning Crusade Classic, but there are still surprises in store for BlizzConline 2021, the streaming-only stand-in for BlizzCon. The two-day digital event starts February 19 (that's today!) with an opening ceremony at 2:00 pm Pacific.

After the main event, which is expected to last an hour, BlizzConline will split off into several streaming channels – WoW, Hearthstone, Diablo, Overwatch, and StarCraft – all of which are free to watch. With that in mind, it's worth perusing the schedule, especially on day one, to see what's happening where.

(I included the main Blizzard channel above; you can flip between the other channels over here.)

I'm pretty much just looking forward to seeing the Diablo II remaster's new graphics. Anything else – say, a meaningful update on the state of Overwatch 2 that gi??ves me more confidence – is a bonus.

Come hang out in?? the comments if you're free for a bit. I saved you a seat right next to Chris.

The post It’s time to watch the BlizzConline 2021 opening ceremony together appeared first on Destructoid.

The hour-long opening ceremony begins at 2:00 pm Pacific on Feb. 19 with a preview of 'what's new' at Blizzard

[Update: Blizzard has posted the full BlizzConline schedule for February 19–20.

The opening ceremony will be just over an hour long, and most of the notable talks will be held on the first day of the show. "Behind the Scenes of Overwatch 2," "Di?ablo: What's Next," "World of Warcraft: What's Next," and a "Hearthstone Deep Dive" all start at 3:10 pm Pacific (on different streaming channels). There's also a "Diablo Developer Roundtable" at 4:00 pm and a Deep Dive? at 5:00 pm.

I feel like my expectations for the show are i??n ch?eck now.]

BlizzCon was called off in favor of the online-only BlizzConline, and the replacement show is nearly ready for our prying eyes. Today, Blizzard sha?red the dates and stream start ?times for the event.

Day 1 (February 19) begins at 2:00 pm Pacific with a "first look" preview of the "latest game content the development teams have been working on." It's safe to expect updates on Overwatch 2, Diablo 4, and World of Warcraft, among others. After the main opening segment, BlizzConline will have "three-plus hours" of deep-dive streaming content?? divvied up betwe?en "six different themed channels."

Day 2 (February 20) starts at 12:00 pm Pacific with more of the choose-your-channel approach and Q&As. "Throughout this second day, we'll be shining a spotlight on the global Blizzard community, includ?ing the winners and outstanding entries in the Community Showcase contests and exhibitions."

Everything will be streamed through Twitch and YouTube – no ticket necessary. It's free. "Most everything will be ava?ilable by VOD after it's aired," according to executive producer Saralyn Smith.

I'm holding out for official news on that rumored Diablo II remake &nda?sh; or even just a mention of Vicarious Visions, in general. The company was recently reassigned from the Activision side over ?to Blizzard.

Get Ready for BlizzConline February 19–20 [BlizzCon]

The post BlizzConline begins February 19 and here’s the schedule appeared first on Destructoid.

Is it still a separate game?

Amid a recap of a "crazy 2020," as Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan calls it, is a kernel of info on Overwatch 2. Or r?ather, a later date in whic??h we'll actually hear more about it.

In addition to Diablo IV, Overwatch 2 will also be making an appearance at BlizzCon Online in February. "We will be talking about [Overwatch 2] more in February wi??th BlizzCon Online coming up," he notes in t??he below video at roughly the 30-second mark.

We still don't know much about this game beyond the initial cinematic revea??l in Nove?mber of 2019. Oddly, it seems like it's a pseudo-expansion of the original Overwatch with new PVP maps?? and a bonafide PVE component, but a lot of play?ers are confused about what the phrase "redefining what a sequel means" actually entails. We could speculate all day, but near the end of the video (5:30) Kaplan manages expectations again, noting "we still have a ways to go."

Overwatch is still seemingly doing well, and overarching develo??pment is spilling over into both games it seems. Kaplan says that in their efforts to ramp up production, they hired a "really amazing level designer named Morton," who created a new map called Kanezaka. The team decided to bring it into full production right away, with ?Easter eggs and "lore payoff" (heavily focusing around Genji and Hanzo). It even has a cat cafe!

Kanezaka will be out this?? month on the PTR (public test r??ealm), and fully out in January 2021.

The post Overwatch 2 will allegedly show at BlizzCon Online, hopefully we’ll get actual info on it appeared first on Destructoid.

Here's another 'quarterly update'

Oh yeah, Diablo IV!

I don't know what I occasionally forget this one exists, though it's probably because I'm so used to there not being a Diablo game in active development. There was a 12-year gap between Diablo II and III, and now, it looks like it might be at least a decade after Diablo III until Diablo IV is out. Who knows at this point? It's kind of in the Overwatch 2 column of "when it's finished."

To that end, Blizzard is working on eventually finishing it, and here's some proof, compliments of a new "quarterly update." The gist of it includes more info on itemization, and how Blizzard wants to "strengthen class identity," "support deeper customization," and is aiming for a depth level "between Diablo II and III." The team wants "years of things to discover and countless ways to build a class." More like Diablo II? Sure, that's going t??o get ??some people to perk up.

Blizzard is also working on shoring up skill trees, by "increasing the clustering of related skill nodes, so players don't have to go across the tree to find skill upgrades for their builds." The whole respec issue (the set-in-stone style of Diablo II versus the zero-penalty III) is still a tough thing to figure out, but Blizzard is going to put a cost on it this time. So while you can do it an unlimited amount of times, "it won't be free." Diving further into it: "as your character grows, the effort and cost required to respec will grow too. In the end-ga??me, changing your build will require a significant investment, to appropriately match the time and effort you’ve put into defining your character." This sounds like something tha??t's going to ruffle feathers at launch and will probably be tweaked.

But the best part of all? The confirmation that Diablo IV will be at BlizzCon Online in February, and that there will almost certainly be a new class reveal. Here's th?e full quote: "Speaking of which, our next update will take place during BlizzConline, rather than in blog form. We’ve read speculation about what it could be an??d want to ensure you that it is something chunky indeed. Without spoiling the surprise, let's just say it involves a new version of the campfire scene we showed you last BlizzCon."

As a reminder, the "campfire" has been the character select screen since Diablo II, so we're at least getting a new class? for BlizzCon.

Diablo IV Quarterly Update [Battle.net]

The post Diablo IV’s item system will be ‘somewhere between Diablo II and III,’ new class reveal teased for BlizzCon appeared first on Destructoid.

'We still have a lot of planning to do,' says Blizzard

After scrapping its plans for an in-person event this year due to COVID-19-related "health and safety considerations," Blizzard hopes to "channel the spirit of BlizzCon into the form of an online show." As we now know, the replacement event is called BlizzConline??, and it's running from February 19–20, 2021.

Currently, details are light outside of the event's Community Showcase, which is pitched as "an opportunity for cosplay crafters, artists, and other community creators to participate in the show and put their talent on display through a mix of world-class competition and exciting exhibitions." If that aspect of BlizzCon is in your wheelhouse, you'll be able to read the rules to?day and get cracking.

As for upcom?ing game announcements and development updates, Blizzard hasn't had much to sa??y. "We still have a lot of planning to do, and it'll be some time before we're ready to share more details."

Today's post is just a date confirmation and ??"a heads-up on how you can be a part of the online?? fun."

Save the Dat?e for Bl?izzConline February 19–20 [BlizzCon]

The post Bli??zz??Con returns in February 2021 with BlizzConline appeared first on Destructoid.

A replacement event will try to 'channel the BlizzCon spirit'

After acknowledging that BlizzCon 2020 was very much up in the air, Blizzard has called off the event.

According to BlizzCon executive producer Saralyn Smith, the company is currently exploring options for an online replacement event that could happen "sometime early next year." Nothing's confir??med yet, but broadly speaking, the idea would be to "channel the BlizzCon spirit" and also find "alternatives for supporting some of the high-level [esports] compet?ition that would normally take place at the show."

Not that B?lizzard needs to justify its decision to cancel BlizzCon 2020, but here's the reasoning:

"During this time, we've had many discussions about what ho??lding a convention could look like in light of all the health and safety considerations we'd want to make," Smith said. "We've also talked about different paths we could take, and how each one could be complicated by fluctuations in national and local health guidelines in the months ahead. Ultimately, after considering our options, we've come to the very difficult decision to not hav?e BlizzCon this year."

It's for the best – especially given how international the event is. Blizzard wouldn't have been able to host a physical event that felt true to BlizzCon, and Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 still feel a long way off.

An Update on BlizzCon [Blizzard]

The post BlizzCon ??will skip 2020 but Bl??izzard is looking into online options for early 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.

As expected

It's a confusing time for anyone who's trying to plan life beyond, like, a week from now. This pandemic has the status of everything up in the air, as no one truly know?s how long COVID-19 restrictions will be in place. Will it be safe to go to an airport in August? Can I go to a concert in September? No one knows.

That's why Blizzard's official statement about BlizzCon 2020 is basically this: Your guess is as good as ours. BlizzCon is traditionally held in early November, and that's too far away to know if the show can be safely staged. Blizzard says "While we're all hopeful things will look better later in the year, the bottom line is that ??at this point it's? too early to know whether BlizzCon 2020 will be feasible."

Blizzard also acknowledges that it might be several months before it knows whether it's forced to cancel BlizzCon or not. Most people generally try to book their travel and accommodations as soon as possible, but they'll have to grapple with the same uncertainty that everyone else faces right now. There are some global extenuating circumstances that need to be cleared up ??first.

A Note about BlizzCon [Blizzard]

The post Blizzard says BlizzCon is a big ol’ question mark right now appeared first on Destructoid.

Blizzness as usual

During last week's BlizzCon 2019 event, Blizzard Entertainment revealed the existence of Overwatch 2, which will se??e the now-famous roster of misfit heroes continue their payload-pushing adventures into a new title, bringing new modes, maps, abilities and characters to the popular multiplayer universe.

But it looks like those eager to dive back into all of this new content will have quite some time to wait, as Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan has clarified that even a rudimentary release win?dow is yet to be decided upon.

"I don't know. I have no idea," Kaplan responded when asked for a possible date by PC Gamer. "Like, just let us make it great, that's what we care about more than anything. We don't have a date in mind." Kaplan also noted that the team was expected to go very quiet once BlizzCon was ov??er, in o??rder to concentrate on the development of the sequel.

While it's obviously still early days in the information drip-feed of Overwatch 2. I'm struggling to see it as a fully-fledged "sequel." Given that it ??seems all of the characters, maps, modes and, thankfully, unlocks will carry over. I still just get a "Super Ultra Overwatch" vibe from all of this, also borne out in the fact players from both ti??tles will still be able to play together - not that I'm suggesting that is a bad thing, of course.

Overwatch 2 is currently in development at Blizzard E?ntertainment.

'I have no idea' when?? Overwatch 2 will be out, Jeff Kaplan ?says [PC Gamer]

The post Overwatch 2 director Jeff Kaplan has ‘no idea’ when the sequel will land appeared first on Destructoid.

They were 1080p, compressed to 240p for the 2002 release

All too often in game development (or film, for that matter, RIP old Dr. Who episodes), you hear about "lost" archival masters. It's why I'm so into preservation: you hate to see it. Well thankfully Blizzard pretty much keeps everything, including the original cutscenes for Warcraft III, which are being brought back for the upcoming Reforged release.

Speaking to the crowd during today's Reforged Deep Dive panel, the team muses that the original cutscenes for the 2002 launch were compressed down to 240p, but were actually 1080p quality. As such, Blizzard is bringing back the original renders (enhanced) for use in Reforged ??;"way better? than you've ever seen them before."

But while a lot of the game will be true to the original, the team did decide to embellish a bit on the aesthetic side. The panel specifically called out some of the more dull environments like the original Silvermoon City, stating that in Reforged, they'll have a bit more personality, drawn from inspiration like the later World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade iteration of? the locale. Individual unit placeholders that were ?plastered on (like Human Footsoldiers for elves) will be corrected.

Similarly, the "use map settings" community is getting a ton of upgrades, as multiple camera angles and more "RPG options" (like individual unit settings, as opposed to forcing stat changes on entire groups of units in the original tool) are in. To that end, there's a lot less shortcuts under the hood that will open up more unique scenarios: the team mused on how Murloc models were actually just re-tooled Undead Ghouls (nice factoid!), and how there's more freedom of expression for character models in Reforged.

When it comes to the competitive side, there will be race-based MMR, as well as separate ratings for team games, so it won't be as crazy as the old system. The team will use what they've learned from Starcraft II (which is still getting minor updates) and the more recent Starcraft remaster and apply those lessons to Reforged, so ?they aren't? exactly building a new foundation from the ground up. There's also a "story mode" difficulty for newcomers if you just want to enjoy the narrative.

Warcraft III: Reforged is currently in beta form, and will be available for all BlizzCon pass holders on November 5. No release window was mentioned, but the original goal was "2019," as per the BlizzCon 2018 ann??ouncement. There's still time!

The post The Warcraft III: Reforged team kept the original ??cutsce?ne masters, which are being upscaled for the re-release appeared first on Destructoid.

Diablo is back

Diablo is back in full swing at BlizzCon 2019 with the reveal of Diablo IV.

Going along with its "return to the series' dark roots," Blizzard opened up a fully fledged museum on the show floor, and man does it look crazy. Dubbed the "dark gallery," the exhibit is a legit art show on top of a bunch of costumed participants, trinkets from the series and a giant doomed church fixture. It's so weird to see Diablo relevant again.

Blizzard usually does something extravagant each year, and in 2018 it was the World of Warcraft diorama that celebrated the impending release of the Battle for Azeroth expansion. It ended up being dubbed the "largest video game diorama ever" by Guinness, and my Blood Elf Demon Hunter even made it in.

You can find an All-Access (free) video walkthrough of the gallery here.

The post BlizzCon’s Diablo IV-inspired ‘Dark Gallery’ exhibit is wild appeared first on Destructoid.

'50%'

Late last night Blizzard kicked off their final main panel of BlizzCon's Friday festivities: Hearthstone. Although new cards and the reasoning behind the new dragon-centric set were the toast of the town, Blizzard also took the time to let the new Auto Battler-inspired Battlegr?ounds breathe, g?iving us new details beyond the scope of the opening ceremony.

So how was this mode born? As lead game designer Mike Donais explains: "we'd see about, half the people on the Hearthstone team was playing Hearthstone during their lunchtime, and the other half of the team was playing a game called Auto Chess (the first Auto Battler that spawned the genr?e). For reference, it's been in development "for the last six months," and the first kernel for the idea came in March when Donais and? his team realized how big Auto Battlers were.

Battlegrounds will also feature 10 new minions and 24 (!) new heroes, and they previewed a few of them at BlizzCon. There's Lord Jaraxxus, which gives demons +1/+1 (ooo tribal themes) and George the Fallen, who can grant a friendly minion divine shield. You get to pick "from a selection" at the start, and every player (of eight in the match) will get a unique hero. There's also going to be "bonuses" for owning more base set card backs (there's the monetization funnel), like the ability to look at more granular stats, choosing between three heroes each game (instead of two) and visual emotes. Because of this, on top of the more random elements of Hearthstone, it probably won't b?e as co?mpetitive as other Auto Battlers.

And that's okay: it seems like it's being pitched as a crazy extension of the Brawl system, and being able to queue up with friends (for versus, no co-op mind) is all I need. It'll be in closed beta form on November 5 and an open beta will happen on November 12. In the meantime you can find all the newly revealed Battlegrounds content in the gallery below, or check out the cards in the official new database.

The post Hearthstone’s new Auto Battler game mode was born because the team played so much Auto Chess appeared first on Destructoid.

For the return of the toy event

During the Heroes of the Storm deep dive panel at BlizzCon this week, the Heroes team took the opportunity to focus mostly on Deathwing, the "most requested hero ever," but there's a few tidbits near the e??nd that will probably resonate with players who have no interest in th??e destroyer.

Blizzard confirmed that the toys event ("the most successful of all the events") is coming back, and will center around "Tickle Mephisto," a warped Muppet version of the Lord of Hatred. To wit, it's also getting a team-based train mount that other players can chann?el and connect into: leading to a literal "pain train" (a MOBA phrase when the whole team goes to wipe out an objective or group) for all five players.

The team is also experimenting with "anomalies" that will occasionally sashay into the game, the first of which shows literal XP globes pop out of minions and vacuum into players to help explain just how close you need to be to earn XP. They also confirm that "??mastery rings" (which are literal aesthetic rings around your character to denote high level ??hero levels) are well received, but they're adding the ability to toggle them on or off, as well as more levels that go all the way up to "700" (and assumingly, beyond).

Heroes is also getting a full re-queue system that puts you back into the queue after a failed connection attempt, and as a reminder every hero in the game is free until November. Sadly, there doesn't?? seem to be an end in sight as of November 2019 when it comes ??to a return of the Haunted Mines map, but it and Blackheart's Bay are being retooled.

Lead designer Brett Crawford closes out the panel by stating: "the Heroes team is still here." Indeed! I'm excited to see what Dea?thwing brings to the table. Not many MOBAs have a boss-like chara?cter.

The post Heroes of the Storm is getting a literal ‘pain train’ mount that fits the entire team, as well as Muppet Mephisto appeared first on Destructoid.

But it's looking nice for a mobile title

After the kerfuffle it caused last year, most fans were pretty sure Blizzard wouldn't utter a peep about Diablo Immortal during the opening ceremonies of this year's BlizzCon. They wer??e right. Rather than relive the drama?? it caused in 2018, the publisher let it fly under the radar with some new developments announced for it later in the day. While we still don't have a release date for it -- Blizzard is aiming for that "Blizzard quality" it applies to all its games -- we did get our first look at the Demon Hunter class, one of six confirmed for the title.

As you can see from the trailer above, new areas like the Ashworld Cemetery and Tamoe Mountain have been added to the?? game. Also new this year is the addition of Ultimate Abilities. All characters will have access to these abilities which are accessed by continually using standard attacks. Once the its meter is filled, players will be able to enhance their attacks for a short amount of time.

Curiously absent from that trailer? The touch screen controls. M??y only hope is, with iOS now supporting PS4 and Xbox One control?lers, interested parties like myself will be able to use either of those to play the game.

Diablo Immortal Update [Blizzard]

The post Diablo Immortal, the original Blizzard cont??roversy, is still a work in progress appeared first on Destructoid.

You can level alts in any expansion now

The time has come for the post-opener panels for more granular information for the projects unveiled at BlizzCon this year, and that includes a deep dive into World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, the next expansion.

Due sometime in 2020 (likely around August), a number of huge changes are coming to WoW in general, not just the new zone. With a philosophy that Blizzard is calling "every level is meaningful," Shadowlands has a new leveling system that will squish max level characters (120 currently) down to 50, allowing them to work their way to the new cap of 60. Retro.

Blizzard says this change should make leveling more exciting, as each level will give you a "meaningful sense of advancement." While I'm cautiously optimistic for the idea (Blizz??ard isn't the best when it comes to stat squishes), the concept of opening up alt (other character) leveling is what really excites me. According to WoW lead Ion Hazzikostas, you can level alts in any zone (or through world quests), and alts can also interact with the new Shadowlands narrative in what Blizzard is calling a "New Game+" experience (which Final Fantasy XIV just got!)

While hitting level 60 with your main/first character will allow you to choose between one of four story-based "covenant" factions (granting you new powers and putting you on the path to the endgame main story quest), alts can pick one right away. Blizzard pitches this as "earning endgame progression while you level," which is a huge change compared to most MMOs (outside of say Final Fantasy XIV, which lets you to switch jobs [classes] at will and has yo?u control one character in total). Even better: you can level alts in any?? expansion from 1-50.

Eight dungeons will arrive at launch (four leveling, four endgame) as well as a 10-boss raid called Castle Nathria that was modeled after "Dracula's Castle." The team also confirmed what the Tower of the Damned is: a "highly replayable" dungeon inspired by roguelikes. Basically, it's an extension of the polarizing Island Expedition mechanic from Battle for Azeroth with randomness involved, but the loot will seemingly be more valuable as Blizzard frames it?? as an endgame-esque activity. All the new zones are also confirmed: "the gleaming fields of Bastion, the scarred battlefields of Maldraxxus, the eternal twilight of Ardenweald, the opulent keeps of Revendreth, and the horrific Maw." All races can be a Death King (sorry, no new hero class again) and more races will get new customization options (more skin tones for humans is a big one).

Content aside the new open-ended alt experience is huge, as it changes the fundamental leveling concept that was set in stone since the game's launch. W??e have a full year to wait and see how it plays out, so enjoy level 120 while it lasts. End of an era!

The post World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is completely overhauling WoW’s leveling system appeared first on Destructoid.