Blizzard has canceled the BlizzConline 2021 originally scheduled for February 2022. But is that bad? Or even good? Cortyn from MeinMMO dares to analyze.
For many players, the annual BlizzCon is something like a second Christmas: They look forward to new information about their favorite games, a first look at upcoming content, and many cool community activities, such as cosplay competitions or the popular “Q&A sessions” with the developers.
The next BlizzCon was planned for February 2022, but Blizzard has now canceled it. They want to revise the event.
Why was BlizzCon canceled? Blizzard lists several reasons for this:
- The planning of BlizzCon takes up a lot of energy that they currently want to invest better in the games.
- The BlizzCon as an event should be revised to be “more welcoming and inclusive”.
Those are at least the two main reasons Blizzard itself states. However, a third, even more important reason likely also played a role in the decision, even if it is not specifically mentioned:
The fear of a huge PR disaster.
BlizzCon would be a PR disaster
Blizzard is in a bad place right now. Very bad. The future of the company is hanging by a thread. The major successes in recent months have not materialized. Although WoW: Shadowlands sold wonderfully and Diablo 2: Resurrected was probably a financial success – these are fleeting achievements.
No matter if it’s World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, or Hearthstone, players are currently dissatisfied everywhere:
- WoW is suffering from a lack of content and poor decisions by the developers. Patches have been postponed, and even small improvements took over a year of development time.
- Overwatch 2 was announced too early, and the hype around the game has almost completely dissipated. If Blizzard doesn’t land on point here, the online shooter threatens to become a flop.
- The new mercenary mode in Hearthstone was well received by some, but the first patches drew criticism – not to mention that the mode is very obviously “Pay2Win”.
- Diablo 2: Resurrected is still suffering from server problems weeks after launch – with the remake of a game that comes from a completely different generation.
Although there are certainly contents in development for all these titles – how near or far they are is hardly assessable.
Adding to this is the ongoing sexism scandal. Blizzard is alleged to have treated female employees and minorities poorly. There are references to pushy bosses, sexual harassment, and “macho behavior”.
Especially critical: During BlizzCon, there was supposedly a “Cosby Suite” where some developers gathered after the event. Initially to socialize and celebrate, but later also to harass women. There are claims of drug excesses and similar allegations.
Simply nothing to show?
Even the last two BlizzCons were criticized by long-time fans. Not only was the price for the virtual ticket complained about each year, but the abundance of new presentations also declined.
Blizzard fans always associated BlizzCon with big announcements: A brand-new game from a popular universe, a look at the new WoW expansion, or even an entirely new franchise.
And surely all this is in the works – but still so far away or so uncompleted that a presentation simply wouldn’t be worthwhile.
Only Diablo Immortal and Overwatch 2 are quite likely nearing the finish line – but that alone cannot convince, as shown by the BlizzCons of recent years.
Community focus on the “wrong things”
The current state and mood of the community have likely also contributed to the decision to cancel a BlizzCon. Dissatisfaction is palpable everywhere. Whether it’s about patches in World of Warcraft, the removal of ambiguous content, or the release of new games, there is discontent in every Blizzard community right now.
Finally, it is likely the wish of the employees themselves to skip BlizzCon. While we know that many developers draw a lot of strength from interacting with the community and meetings, there are currently more pressing issues. Blizzard is currently “cleaning house” and getting rid of problematic developers. At the same time, they want to finally take the victims of discrimination seriously.
A BlizzCon now would be all about “putting on a good face on a bad game” – especially since everyone knows what the current situation is.
And even if some may not know yet, those who are not closely following the developments at Blizzard – after the BlizzCon many more would know. The last presentation of the mercenary mode already showed in the chat that the community is currently focusing on uncomfortable topics. When a female employee presented new content for Hearthstone, comments immediately piled up questioning whether she “was being harassed” and she should “blink three times if her boss was abusing her”.
Tasteless comments that are at least somewhat understandable given the current situation. Blizzard could only prevent this by massively restricting chats and viewer communication – which would lead to the next shitstorm.
Cancelling BlizzCon is the right decision in the current situation
No matter how you turn it, the cancellation of BlizzCon is fundamentally a good decision. It relieves additional pressure from the entire team at Blizzard, creates resources for more work on the games, and simultaneously prevents the formerly positive event from becoming a quagmire of accusations, rude comments, and pressure for everyone involved.
A year without BlizzCon gives Blizzard the time to focus on the essentials, hopefully fix the corporate culture, and eliminate all the problems that are currently plaguing the once most popular game developer in the world. One can only hope that during this time of calm, a healing process begins – and not a state of paralysis follows.
Only the fans who were really looking forward to their annual event may be the victims of this decision. But to be honest, under the current circumstances, the BlizzCon would not be a pleasant event anyway. It would surely be entertaining, but only if one revels in shitstorms and agitated player mobs.
Even we gaming journalists find it hardly enjoyable to report on such incidents – it’s a torment
