BlizzCon, the convention around all things Blizzard, is back on the calendar after a multi-year hiatus. The Anaheim Convention Center is hosting BlizzCon on November 3 and 4 of this year, and Blizzard will release more information about contests, cosplay, and tickets next month.
This is the first time in four years that BlizzCon will be held in person rather than online. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a clear deterrent to in-person gatherings in 2020. It’s been a tumultuous few years for Blizzard, and not just because of COVID. In the summer of 2021, Activision Blizzard was the subject of a lawsuit from the state of California alleging that the publisher fostered an environment of “ongoing sexual harassment”. And in recent years, Microsoft has tried to buy Activision Blizzard, citing regulatory issues surrounding the biggest acquisition deal gaming has ever seen.
The atmosphere around Blizzard remains uncertain. Overexpected 2‘s major PVE campaign plans have recently been significantly scaled back and there is a return to office mandate reportedly led to significant staff turnover that continue to affect Blizzard’s products.
BlizzCon will have news, information and events around its major properties, including World of Warcraft: Dragon flight, Hearthstone, And Diablo 4, which will be released on June 6. We may see more news about the upcoming Warcraft mobile game Arclight rumble, but it remains to be seen whether Blizzard will announce any new titles or major updates during the convention. Blizzard routinely streams alongside the convention, so fans who can’t make it in person can still catch up on the panels, trailers, and updates revealed during the show.