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 attend 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 year after following the massive $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. It's quite possible that Papa Microsoft just doesn't have enough time to Microsoft-ify the convention tha??t 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 regi??on called Nahantu, ??a mystical jungle.

As a long-time Blizzard fan who plays all its game?s 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 can be for release. We can throw the party next year.

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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 Warchest, 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 her base abilities and talent?s:

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 ho??nestly, from what I've played, it's ??pretty fun. It's cool to see it launching with a new season...I'm excited to see what other Leaders we'll see in the future.

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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 folks 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 "feedback" 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 for??mula. It'll have a level cap of 25, ??which will provide a "level 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 of 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 zo??ne will host some world PvP events as well. For example, the Level 25 PvP zone wil?l be in Ashenvale.

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

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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 Tora??jan and feature a brand new class.

According to Blizzard the expansion is still early on in development and more information ?will be available in Summer 2024. No firm release date wa?s 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.

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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, Mauga, wil??l be availa?ble for a free trial weekend.

The beefy hero Mauga wi?elds dual chainguns to shred his enemies. Mauga will join Overwatch 2 a??s part of Season 8 which releases on December 5.

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

UPDATE: As expect, Mauga has been confirmed as the new her?o at BlizzCon 2023. Mauga will dualwield ch?ainguns he named 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.

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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 issue? Wel??l, the value prospec?t, for one, 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 foll??owing:

• 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 the Epic 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 bundle ass??umes you play, and like, at leas??t 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 well as an Ul??tim??ate 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. Thankfully, you can skip these bundles and just watch a lot of the show for?? free (though Virtual tickets wil??l provide mo??re footage and specific breakout streams).

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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 security line.

With previous BlizzCon's, there was also a charity dinner which included a Portal Pass ticket. 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 f??or free this year. I??n the past a $40 to $50 Virtual Ticket was required to watch the stream after the opening ceremony.

Although not required to view t??he li??vestream, it appears a Virtual Ticket will still 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 Gen??eral 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 said, it's great they are opting to livestream the entire event for free. The developer panels and community con??tests 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 Anahe?im, 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.

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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 in??to supporting its teams and pro??gressing 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 across our games," the statement reads. "We have a lot of exciting upcomin??g news and releases to share with you."

Blizzard also says it i?s taking some time to "reimagine" what BlizzCon might look like in t??he future:

"Whatever the event looks like in the future, we also need to ensure that it feels as safe,?? welcoming, and inclusive as po?ssible. 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."

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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 BlizzCon this year. The company annou?nced today that it will not be hosting a BlizzCon this year.

Today's statement notes the amount of preparation la?rge events like these entail, from both inside Blizzard and organizing the production and competition side as well.

"The ongoing complexities and uncertainties of the pande?mic have impacted our ability to properly move forw?ard on many of these fronts," wrote Saralyn Smith, executive 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 early part of next year, combining the online show aspect of BlizzConline with "smaller in-person gatherings," and that it will share more as plans come togeth??er.

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.

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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 f??eel like a "true sequel." See you in 2022? With a beta? That's my ?guess.

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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 we??ll, and brought the series back to consoles for the fir??st time since the original PlayStation. 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.

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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 fo??r the new game, and the footage we saw involved zipping around to stab demons, flinging arrows, and dropping caltrops.

We ??a?lso 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 bas??ic attacks t??o 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 c??an control the fluid motion of combat in a way that no other class can," said Barri?ga.

A few pre-alpha screenshots 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.

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Announced today at BlizzConline

Fresh off of several expansions (as is the custom for Hearthstone), Blizzard is ditching the Year of the Phoenix rotation and heading i?nto the Year of the Griffin.

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 original?ly 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!

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Selama ashal'anore!

This moment has been a long time coming for Destructo??id 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 ri??ght on its heels in second place: and my pers?onal 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 in your subscr??????????????????????????iption. ?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 Ex?isting World of ??Warcraft Subscriptions – 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.

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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 Shadowlands. You'll head to Korthia, "City of Secrets," in the next major story zone that will sport new quests and "outdoor activities." Al??so, 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 Ve?iled Market) which is themed after the popular Brokers race. Oh, and PVP season 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 ther??e's s??ome quality of life changes baked in there too for the game as a whole.

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It's coming to PC and consoles on February 19

Blizzard is alwa??ys down to mine nostalgia, 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 (nic?e!), 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 Celebratio??n Collection" on consoles. 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.

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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 gives ?me more confidence – is a bonus.

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

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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," "Diablo: What's Next," "World of Warcraft: What's Next," and a "Hearths??tone 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 check now.]

BlizzCon was called off in favor of the online-only BlizzConline, and the replacement show? is nearly rea??dy for our prying eyes. Today, Blizzard shared 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 between "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, including the winners and outstanding entries in the Community Showcase contests and exhibitions."

Everything will be streamed through Twitch and You??Tube – no ticket ne??cessary. It's free. "Most everything will be available 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 – or even just a mention of Vicarious Visions, in general. The company was recently reassigne??d from the Activision side over to Blizzard.

Get Ready for BlizzConline February 19–20 [BlizzCon]

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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 rather, a later date in which 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 with BlizzCon Online coming up," he?? notes in the below video at roughly the 30-second mark.

We still don't know much about this game beyond the initial cinematic reveal in November of 201??9. 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 players are co??nfused 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 sti?ll seemingly doing well, and overarching development is spilling over into both games it seems. Ka?plan 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 realm), and fully out ??in January 2021.

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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 to 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 co??st 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-game, 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 that'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 the 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 and want to ensure you that it is something chunky indeed. Wit?hout 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 gett??ing a new class for BlizzCon.

Diablo IV Quarterly Update [Battle.net]

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'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 Februar??y 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 com?petition and exciting exhibitions." If that aspect of BlizzCon is in your wheelhouse, you'll be able to read the rules today and get cracking.

As for upcoming game announcements and development updates, Blizzard hasn't had much to say. "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 Date for BlizzConline February 19–2?0 [BlizzCon]

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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 confirmed yet, but broadly speaking, the idea would be to "channel the BlizzCon spi?rit" and also find "alternatives for supporting some of the high-level [esports] competition that would normally take place at the show."

Not that Blizza??rd needs to jus?tify its decision to cancel BlizzCon 2020, but here's the reasoning:

"Dur?ing this time, we've had many discussions about what holding 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, aft??er considering our options, we've come to the very difficult decision to not have 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]

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As expected

It's a confusing time for anyone who's trying to plan life bey??ond, like, a week from now. This pandemic has the status of everything up in the air, as no one truly knows 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 l??ater 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 un??certainty that everyone else faces right now. There are some global extenuating circumstances that need to be cleared up first.

A Note about BlizzCon [Blizzard]

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Blizzness as usual

During last week's BlizzCon 2019 event, Blizzard Entertainment revealed the existence of Overwatch 2, which will see 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 ?window 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 over, in order 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 titles will still be able to play together - not that I'm suggesting that is a bad thing, of course.

Overwatch 2 is cu?rrently in development at Blizzard Enter??tainment.

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

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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 se??en 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. Ind??ividual unit placeholders that were plastered on (like Huma?n 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 th??e 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 pas???s holders on November 5. No release window was mentioned, but the original goal was "2019," as per the BlizzCon 2018 announcement. There's still time!

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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.

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'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 Battleground?s breathe, giving 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 th??e genre). For refer?ence, 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 be ?as competitive 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.

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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 end that will probably resonate with players who have no intere??????????????????????????st in the 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 channel and connect into: leading to a literal "pain tr??ain" (a MOBA phrase when the whole team goes to wi?pe out an objective or group) for all five players.

The team is also experimentin??g 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 Deathwing brings to the table. Not ??many MOBAs have a boss-l?ike character.

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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 were 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 i?t -- Blizzard is aiming for that "Blizzard quality" it applies to all its games -- we did get our first look at the Demon Hunt??er 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 add??ition of Ultimate Abilities. All characters will have access to the??se 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. My only h?ope is, with iOS now supporting PS4 and Xbox One ??controllers, interested parties like myself will be able to use either of those to play the game.

Diablo Immortal Update [Blizzard]

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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 an?d has you control one character in total). Even better: you can le??vel 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).

Cont??ent 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. We have a full year to wait and see how i??t plays out, so enjoy level 120 while it lasts. End of an era!

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