BlizzCon 2026 commenced with a packed Opening Ceremony, revealing a significant number of updates and new titles across Blizzard Entertainment's diverse portfolio. The event showcased expansions for established franchises, new game iterations, and even adaptations for other media.

Heroes of the Storm and Overwatch Additions

Development on the crossover MOBA Heroes of the Storm has seen a resurgence with the addition of Xal'atath, a character from World of Warcraft, set to arrive on September 28. Blizzard has teased further content for the game, suggesting it may no longer be on a reduced development cycle.

Overwatch is also expanding its roster with the introduction of Doctrine, a new Support hero. Doctrine will be available for a limited Hero Trial from September 12 to 14 before his official release in Season 5.

Diablo Franchise Expansions and Adaptations

The Diablo universe is set to grow significantly. An animated Diablo series in development with Netflix was confirmed, though details remain scarce. For Diablo IV, the upcoming "Age of Hatred" season will also see the game launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on September 15, with reports of physical copies already appearing in stores.

Looking further ahead, Diablo V was officially revealed, targeting a spring 2029 release. The game aims to alter the player experience by taking place across Sanctuary with no towns or safe havens.

StarCraft's Return as an Open-World Shooter

The StarCraft universe is expanding into a new genre with an open-world shooter tentatively titled StarCraft. Spearheaded by Dan Hay, formerly of Far Cry, the game received a grim cinematic trailer and is currently slated for a 2030 launch.

Hearthstone's New Expansion and Class

Hearthstone, Blizzard's collectible card game, will receive a new expansion titled "Reign Of The Black Empire," focusing on the Old Gods of the Warcraft universe. This expansion introduces a new mechanic allowing players to combine keywords on a single card for custom effects. The auto-battler mode, Battlegrounds, will also gain "Aberrations." Additionally, Hearthstone is introducing its first new class in years: the Monk, a Pandaren class scheduled for release in March 2027.

World of Warcraft Saga Continues

World of Warcraft's "Worldsoul saga" is progressing with two major announcements. The next update, "Midnight Eclipse," will likely involve players confronting Xal'atath's actions related to the Worldsoul. The subsequent expansion, "The Last Titan," is aiming for a 2027 release and is intended to conclude a significant chapter while setting the stage for future content, as hinted by a teaser showing colossal beings.

Furthermore, a new reimagining of the classic MMORPG, titled World of Warcraft Forever, is set to launch on November 4. This update will feature expanded original zones, new zones like Mount Hyjal and the Riverglades, new raids and dungeons, and fresh race and class combinations. A new playable race, the Skyborne, will also be introduced. Beta testing for World of Warcraft Forever begins on September 17.

Warcraft III: Reforged Campaign Released

Warcraft III: Reforged has received a new campaign titled "Forsaken Kingdom," available today. This addition revisits the fall of Lordaeron and includes quality-of-life improvements and graphical enhancements.