Blizzard Entertainment is set to host its annual BlizzCon convention this weekend, September 12-13, at the Anaheim Convention Center. Fans unable to attend in person can follow the festivities online, with the event promising a range of announcements across major Blizzard franchises including World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Overwatch, and Diablo.
The convention will commence with the Opening Ceremony on September 12 at 10:30 a.m. PDT (1:30 p.m. EDT), which is expected to be the primary venue for Blizzard's most significant reveals. The ceremony is scheduled to last one hour and 15 minutes and will be streamed live on Blizzard's official YouTube and Twitch channels.
Throughout the weekend, various events will take place across multiple stages, with the main stage hosting several key presentations. Day one's schedule includes a "World of Warcraft: What's Next" session at 12:00 p.m. PDT, followed by a "Diablo: Developer Update" at 1:45 p.m. PDT and a second "World of Warcraft: What's Next II" at 2:45 p.m. PDT. The day concludes with an "Overwatch: Hero Deep Dive" at 3:45 p.m. PDT and "BlizzCon Community Night" at 4:45 p.m. PDT.
Day two, September 13, begins at 10:00 a.m. PDT with another "World of Warcraft" presentation, this one titled "Deep Dive." "Diablo IV: What's Next" is slated for 11:00 a.m. PDT, preceding "QuestWatch: Live!!!" at 12:00 p.m. PDT. The afternoon features a "World of Warcraft: Design Deep Dive" at 2:15 p.m. PDT, "Voices of Blizzard" at 3:15 p.m. PDT, and will wrap up with "Closing Remarks" at 5:30 p.m. PDT.
Expect significant news regarding World of Warcraft: Midnight, the current expansion. Discussions will likely center on upcoming patches and the continuing narrative. While fans may be anticipating news on "The Last Titan," the next expansion set to conclude the Worldsoul Saga, its announcement is not guaranteed, as Blizzard typically avoids revealing new expansions in the same year a current one launches. The two-year gap between The War Within and Midnight suggests caution regarding immediate expansion reveals.
Overwatch is anticipated to receive announcements for one or two new heroes, fulfilling Blizzard's promise of releasing ten new heroes this year, with two yet to be revealed. For Diablo IV, updates are expected, though substantial news may be limited given the recent release of an expansion for the game.
The most speculative anticipation surrounds StarCraft. Recent reports suggest Blizzard is in talks with Korean publisher Nexon for the development of a new title in the series. This has been further fueled by cryptic messages appearing on the official StarCraft website. The nature of these potential announcements, whether a mainline real-time strategy game or a rumored shooter, remains to be seen and will be a key focus of the convention.