In a few weeks, it will be time for BlizzCon again. After last year’s fiasco, we can expect some “big surprises” this year. At least that’s the assessment from Cortyn.
In a few weeks, it’s that time again: BlizzCon 2019 will take place. The event runs from November 1 to 3, 2019. Hopefully, there will be plenty of new announcements and presentations related to Blizzard’s game universes.
J. Allen Brack, the current head of Blizzard, has already promised that BlizzCon 2019 is likely to be “the best one yet”.
And as critical as I am of Brack and have criticized Blizzard’s “changes” in the past, I am inclined to believe him. At least all signs currently indicate that BlizzCon 2019 will be a highlight for gamers.
In no case do you want to start two years in a row with a rather negatively perceived BlizzCon. After last year’s presentation was almost exclusively about Diablo Immortal, the expectations of core gamers are even higher this year.
BlizzCon 2019 must meet huge expectations
But what can we actually expect at BlizzCon 2019? There is currently no exact schedule from Blizzard, but there is a lot of room for speculation. I will only mention the things that come to mind spontaneously and that are more or less likely:
New expansion for World of Warcraft: Although Patch 8.2.5 has just gone live in Battle for Azeroth, BlizzCon is likely to include the reveal of the next WoW expansion. After all, many fans have mentally already checked out the current addon and are looking forward to the next chapter.
In particular, the leak of “Shadowlands” is relevant here. The current events in WoW fit the supposed leak and would bring the story into the realm of the dead.
Diablo IV: If there was one thing you had to bet money on, it would probably be the official announcement of Diablo IV. After its absence last year left fans extremely disappointed, Blizzard has virtually no other choice but to present something new here. Last year, it was said that they were “working on several Diablo projects” and simply weren’t ready to show more than Diablo Immortal.
A year later, this should look different. Diablo universe fans should therefore brace themselves for a new title that is likely to be revealed.
Diablo Immortal: Even though the announcement of the mobile title was a complete disaster with “Don’t you guys have phones?” frustration, Diablo Immortal is interesting. Half of our readers are excited for the title and want to at least try it out.
However, it has also been relatively quiet around the game since the announcement. New information is therefore extremely likely, especially considering that the game made a solid impression last year.
Warcraft 3 Reforged: Announced just last year, Warcraft 3 Reforged will be released in 2019. It is a remake of the old strategy classic with new graphics. Apart from some small expansions in the story that bring certain characters more into the spotlight, the classic remains unchanged.
Since pre-orders have been running for months and the release is listed as “by December 31, 2019 at the latest,” a release is imminent. The assumption is high that Blizzard will simply say at BlizzCon, “Oh, by the way, the game is finished, you can start playing!” This would at least be a small surprise and give Warcraft fans something new (or old) to play.
Overwatch 2: A particularly eagerly awaited favorite is also the project known to players as “Overwatch 2”. However, the name may be misleading, as the next Overwatch game will likely not replace the current game but rather expand the game world with campaigns and story missions. This has been desired by fans for a long time, and various job postings in the past have indicated that fresh content for co-op fans is in the works.
However, it is questionable whether “Overwatch 2” or a similar title will actually be presented. It is quite possible that it may take another year or two of development time before any initial images can be seen.
Hearthstone: For Hearthstone, the program will probably return to “Standard”. It is to be expected that the developers will announce the next expansion that concludes 2019 and thus the story around Ü.B.E.L. and the Explorer’s League. This will certainly also come with 135 new cards and another PvE adventure.
Really interesting is only whether Hearthstone will finally fulfill many of the community’s wishes. After all, for years, a 2-player mode or a tournament mode has been requested. The latter was provisionally shelved, but perhaps there will be a surprise.
A new franchise: There have also been rumors that Blizzard is working on a completely new franchise. After all, Overwatch has been around for a while now, and the goal is to produce more new content. A new franchise would mean fresh wind and could potentially open doors for new genres where Blizzard has not been very active so far.
Mobile Games – The Big Unknown
Mobile games are still viewed critically by most gamers. They are often full of micro-transactions, and the game design is geared towards only being able to keep up if you spend a good dozen hours in the game every day. Moreover, playing on a small screen is still uncomfortable for many players and has nothing to do with “real gaming”.
I also view mobile games critically. I just couldn’t warm up to them so far.
But if there is a game developer that I at least trust to spark my interest in these games, it would probably be Blizzard. After all, I will give their games a chance, and if I am not bombarded with “Pay2Win” microtransactions at every turn, Blizzard has a fair chance to win me over.
If they make a cool “Warcraft Mobile” or even just a kind of DOTA Underlords in Warcraft style, then I’ll be in right away. At least, if the framework is right.
If I take all the points mentioned above into account, I certainly believe that BlizzCon will be a huge success. Even if half of the speculations don’t come true, it should still be a pretty good BlizzCon.
So yes, I am inclined to believe J. Allen Brack in this statement. For gamers, November 1 and 2 are important dates that will shed much light on the games of the coming years.
Are you looking forward to BlizzCon? Or have you buried your hope for exciting news from Blizzard?
