Thousands of Blizzard fans gathered at the Anaheim Convention Center last weekend for the first BlizzCon since 2023, and the company responded with a flurry of announcements spanning its biggest franchises. The event marked Blizzard's 35th anniversary, Overwatch's 10th, and showcased a new direction under Microsoft ownership, with new games and expansions for World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, Warcraft, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm.
World of Warcraft: Forever – A Fresh Start with a Twist
The biggest reveal was World of Warcraft: Forever, a new version of the classic MMO that returns players to the Vanilla era but with significant expansions. Blizzard is adding three new zones, more than 1,000 quests, nine dungeons, and two raids, plus a new playable Skyborne race. This isn't a simple recreation; it's an alternate timeline where developers have been given permission to alter the original game's history.
The beta begins September 17, with the full game launching November 4. Lead software engineer Nora Mills and lead classic designer Tim Jones spoke about the game's appeal. 'I feel like World Of Warcraft has such a huge legacy and so much history, but this is a perfect time for someone new to come in and join the journey. You're starting from scratch, from level one, and creating your own character. You have a choice of different races and classes, and you can really dive into the fantasy of the world,' said Mills.
Jones added, 'World Of Warcraft was the game that, a little over 20 years ago, changed the world. It was the MMO that broke through and became a global sensation. What we're offering now is essentially a fresh start – an experience that harkens back to that original adventure, but refreshes it and builds something new as though we were back 20 years ago.' Notably, World of Warcraft will be playable with a controller for the first time, a feature Jones highlighted as particularly exciting for handheld gaming.
Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo: New Content and Bold Directions
Warcraft 3: Reforged is receiving a major update, including a graphics overhaul and World Editor improvements. More surprisingly, Blizzard announced The Forsaken Kingdom, a new story campaign set during the fall of Lordaeron and the creation of the Undercity. This marks the first new story content for Warcraft 3 in over two decades.
StarCraft received perhaps the biggest reaction from the crowd, but not for a traditional real-time strategy game. Instead, Blizzard revealed a new open-world shooter set in the Koprulu Sector, due in spring 2030. Diablo is celebrating its 30th anniversary next year with Diablo 5, arriving in spring 2029. The game starts from a bleak premise: Diablo has won, Sanctuary has fallen, and the heroes have failed. Until then, Diablo 4 will get Season of Hell's Legacy, bringing back Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal, though no new expansions are planned. An animated Diablo series is also in development for Netflix.
Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm: Expanding the Universes
Overwatch is celebrating its 10th anniversary with new heroes and reworks, including Doctrine, a vampire-inspired support character with life-draining abilities and bat-like drones. Hearthstone's next expansion, Reign of the Black Empire, takes players back to ancient Azeroth with the new Assemble keyword, and the Monk class will be added in March 2027. Heroes of the Storm, long-neglected, is getting a new hero: Xal'atath, arriving September 28.
The event also featured a vibrant cosplay scene, with attendees dressed as Illidans, Jaina Proudmoores, Arthases, Murlocs, and more. Developers like Holly Longdale and Ion Hazzikostas took the stage to present the announcements. While some risks are evident—StarCraft as an open-world shooter is a gamble, and Diablo 5 is a long wait—the enthusiasm of the thousands of fans in attendance was undeniable. BlizzCon is back, and Blizzard has clearly decided it has a lot of catching up to do.
