BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremony: All The Biggest Announcements And Games
Overview & Key Takeaways
BlizzCon is a big deal if you're a fan of all things Blizzard, and the weekend event kicked off with a traditional opening ceremony full of announcements and reveals for the company's biggest games--and a few surprises!
The biggest of these included the announcement that StarCraft will return in 2030, but this time, Blizzard is switching up genres as the sci-fi game goes from real-time strategy to open-world shooter. Diablo 5 was also announced, and World of Warcraft fans were spoiled with several reveals. In case you missed it, you can catch all the trailers and news below.
Heroes of the Storm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wks8GLNUHsk&pp=0gcJCf4LAYcqIYzv
Heroes of the Storm is adding a new hero to its roster for the first time in six years, as Xal'atath is coming to the Nexus. You can try her out starting Monday on the PTR.
For The First Time In 6 Years, Blizzard Is Bringing A New Character To Heroes Of The Storm
A Diablo animated series is in development at Netflix
The next announcement was about a Diablo animated series in development. Blizzard president Johanna Faries announced that it's being produced by Netflix.
"Diablo, I promise, is just the beginning," Faries teased. "To our Overwatch community, to our Warcraft community, and who knows, perhaps even some of our other universes."
Diablo Animated Series Coming To Netflix, Other Blizzard Franchises Teased
StarCraft returns in 2030
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIu2tGCCKQw
Ubisoft veteran Dan Hay was on stage to announce a brand-new StarCraft, which he described as an open-world shooter. The cinematic trailer showed off some gung-ho Dominion recruits training to be the best in the galaxy, but a few hours later, the remains of these fresh-faced soldiers were being scraped out of their warsuits.
StarCraft Is Officially Back, But It’s Taking A Much Different Form
Overwatch
Overwatch director Aaron Keller was next on stage, dressed in an incredible jacket themed around the game. A new animated trailer was shown off, featuring popular characters like former Talon leader Doomfist, Reaper, Widowmaker, and Sombra as they assaulted a prison pulled from the Watchpoint Gibraltar map. The video ended with a tease of the ninth hero joining Overwatch this year, Doctrine.
Doctrine is a stylish techno-vampire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIu2tGCCKQw
Miranda Moyer and Ben Bell from the Overwatch team described Doctrine as a Support-class hero who wields a scepter in battle. He mixes vampiric and techno powers together, and he can shroud enemies in darkness to hinder them. Doctrine can also use an "infuse" power to transform his next power. Doctrine's Hero Trial will be available for all Overwatch players later today.
Overwatch’s Newest Blood-Sucking Character Pushes The Game Even Further Into The Fantasy Genre
Big Overwatch changes are on the horizon
Sombra and Roadhog are getting some big reworks in Overwatch soon. Sombra is being turned into a Support-class hero, and a whole lot of content is planned for Season 5 of the game.
Overwatch Is Reworking Two Of Its Most Criticized Characters
A familiar face is coming to Diablo 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feXuKlwKMTA
Stay a while, and listen to what's next for Diablo! Tiffany Wat and Brent Gibson from the Diablo team announced that everyone's favorite Horadrim scholar, Deckard Cain, will return to Sanctuary soon. You can meet the fan-favorite character in Diablo 4 on September 15, when Season of Hell's Legacy launches.
Hell's Pawn is crossing over to Diablo Immortal
Todd McFarlane's Spawn is coming to Diablo Immortal, which makes my inner '90s kid very happy. Honestly, could you ask for a better crossover character in the free-to-play mobile game?
Diablo 4 lands on Switch 2 in September
And it'll be out on September 15! Switch 2 owners can grab Diablo 4: Age of Hatred Collection when it launches alongside the new Season of Hell's Legacy.
The Amazon is coming to Diablo 4
At long last, you can play as an Amazon in Diablo 4. This new take on the fan-favorite character will wield her signature bow, as well as the new javelin-class weapon. She'll be added to the game in the first half of 2027.
Diablo 4’s Next Class Is What You Expect But Isn’t Coming With A Full Expansion
Diablo 5 launches in 2029
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8HaSFXR7tU
With the Age of Hatred having concluded in Diablo 4, it's time for the next chapter in the series. Diablo 5 is currently scheduled to launch in Spring 2029, and things look bleak. In Diablo 5, the ancient Lord of Terror has returned and has conquered Sanctuary.
"What must you become, when the world has already fallen?" Wat teased for the dark direction of Diablo 5.
Diablo 5 Is Coming In 2029, Will Actually Star Diablo
Hearthstone's next expansion launches in October
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib5EMar4b1E
What's next for Hearthstone? A new expansion and a new gameplay mechanic while you explore a narrative focused on the brawls between Old Gods that shaped the world of Azeroth. The new Assemble mechanic will allow you to fuse two cards together, and the Hearthstone team says that it's well aware that there'll be some "pretty busted" combinations. A pool of 250 cards can make use of this mechanic, and some of the combinations shown off are wild. You can try it out for yourself when Reign of the Black Empire launches on October 20.
Hearthstone's new hero is panda-ring to the Warcraft crowd
That's right, the Monk class is finally coming to Hearthstone, marking the first new class in four years.
Hearthstone’s First New Class In 4 Years And A More Story-Driven Journal Are On The Way
World of Warcraft: Midnight - Eclipse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI09FbRmCtc
World of Warcraft's Holly Longdale and Ion Hazzikostas introduced a new chapter in World of Warcraft's Worldsoul Saga, teasing "all gas and no brakes" in the new major content update. Eclipse will set the stage for a showdown with Xal'atath, and the new cinematic trailer showed her on the verge of a serious power-up.
World of Warcraft: The Last Titan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRnlcUqX5t4
While Eclipse is the next big narrative chapter in World of Warcraft, The Last Titan is where Blizzard is promising a big shake-up to the MMORPG as it wraps up 20 years of storytelling. More details on it will be shared next year.
WoW: The Last Titan Cinematic Ups The Stakes, But First, Xal’atath
Warcraft 3 is getting a new campaign
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUobjOJgSqc
Longdale teased that Blizzard is "putting the war back in Warcraft" with the new campaign, Forsaken Kingdom, for Warcraft 3: Reforged. When can you play it? Today! Players will get to experience the fall of Lodaeron as Human armies took on mighty Orc forces. Other enhancements include a Definitive Edition graphical update, map editor improvements, and you can even select more units to command.
Warcraft Getting Its First New RTS Campaign In Two Decades–And It’s Playable Today
World of Warcraft: Forever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zerqLHQPN9Y
Azeroth is beckoning players back to where it all started, as we got a first look at World of Warcraft: Forever. The rumored Classic Plus mode for World of Warcraft will kick off with a beta on September 17 and launch on November 4. The game will include new dungeons, 10-20 player raids, the Skyborne as a playable race, account-wide perks, and new zones to explore.
WoW Forever Will Add All-New Content To Classic Azeroth This November
BlizzCon is a big deal if you’re a fan of all things Blizzard, and the weekend event kicked off with a traditional opening ceremony full of announcements and reveals for the company’s biggest games–and a few surprises!
The biggest of these included the announcement that StarCraft will return in 2030, but this time, Blizzard is switching up genres as the sci-fi game goes from real-time strategy to open-world shooter. Diablo 5 was also announced, and World of Warcraft fans were spoiled with several reveals. In case you missed it, you can catch all the trailers and news below.
Heroes of the Storm
VIDEO
Heroes of the Storm is adding a new hero to its roster for the first time in six years, as Xal’atath is coming to the Nexus. You can try her out starting Monday on the PTR.
For The First Time In 6 Years, Blizzard Is Bringing A New Character To Heroes Of The Storm
A Diablo animated series is in development at Netflix
The next announcement was about a Diablo animated series in development. Blizzard president Johanna Faries announced that it’s being produced by Netflix.
“Diablo, I promise, is just the beginning,” Faries teased. “To our Overwatch community, to our Warcraft community, and who knows, perhaps even some of our other universes.”
Diablo Animated Series Coming To Netflix, Other Blizzard Franchises Teased
StarCraft returns in 2030
VIDEO
Ubisoft veteran Dan Hay was on stage to announce a brand-new StarCraft, which he described as an open-world shooter. The cinematic trailer showed off some gung-ho Dominion recruits training to be the best in the galaxy, but a few hours later, the remains of these fresh-faced soldiers were being scraped out of their warsuits.
StarCraft Is Officially Back, But It’s Taking A Much Different Form
Overwatch
Overwatch director Aaron Keller was next on stage, dressed in an incredible jacket themed around the game. A new animated trailer was shown off, featuring popular characters like former Talon leader Doomfist, Reaper, Widowmaker, and Sombra as they assaulted a prison pulled from the Watchpoint Gibraltar map. The video ended with a tease of the ninth hero joining Overwatch this year, Doctrine.
Doctrine is a stylish techno-vampire
VIDEO
Miranda Moyer and Ben Bell from the Overwatch team described Doctrine as a Support-class hero who wields a scepter in battle. He mixes vampiric and techno powers together, and he can shroud enemies in darkness to hinder them. Doctrine can also use an “infuse” power to transform his next power. Doctrine’s Hero Trial will be available for all Overwatch players later today.
Overwatch’s Newest Blood-Sucking Character Pushes The Game Even Further Into The Fantasy Genre
Big Overwatch changes are on the horizon
Sombra and Roadhog are getting some big reworks in Overwatch soon. Sombra is being turned into a Support-class hero, and a whole lot of content is planned for Season 5 of the game.
Overwatch Is Reworking Two Of Its Most Criticized Characters
A familiar face is coming to Diablo 4
VIDEO
Stay a while, and listen to what’s next for Diablo! Tiffany Wat and Brent Gibson from the Diablo team announced that everyone’s favorite Horadrim scholar, Deckard Cain, will return to Sanctuary soon. You can meet the fan-favorite character in Diablo 4 on September 15, when Season of Hell’s Legacy launches.
Hell’s Pawn is crossing over to Diablo Immortal
Todd McFarlane’s Spawn is coming to Diablo Immortal, which makes my inner ’90s kid very happy. Honestly, could you ask for a better crossover character in the free-to-play mobile game?
Diablo 4 lands on Switch 2 in September
And it’ll be out on September 15! Switch 2 owners can grab Diablo 4: Age of Hatred Collection when it launches alongside the new Season of Hell’s Legacy.
The Amazon is coming to Diablo 4
At long last, you can play as an Amazon in Diablo 4. This new take on the fan-favorite character will wield her signature bow, as well as the new javelin-class weapon. She’ll be added to the game in the first half of 2027.
Diablo 4’s Next Class Is What You Expect But Isn’t Coming With A Full Expansion
Diablo 5 launches in 2029
VIDEO
With the Age of Hatred having concluded in Diablo 4, it’s time for the next chapter in the series. Diablo 5 is currently scheduled to launch in Spring 2029, and things look bleak. In Diablo 5, the ancient Lord of Terror has returned and has conquered Sanctuary.
“What must you become, when the world has already fallen?” Wat teased for the dark direction of Diablo 5.
Diablo 5 Is Coming In 2029, Will Actually Star Diablo
Hearthstone’s next expansion launches in October
VIDEO
What’s next for Hearthstone? A new expansion and a new gameplay mechanic while you explore a narrative focused on the brawls between Old Gods that shaped the world of Azeroth. The new Assemble mechanic will allow you to fuse two cards together, and the Hearthstone team says that it’s well aware that there’ll be some “pretty busted” combinations. A pool of 250 cards can make use of this mechanic, and some of the combinations shown off are wild. You can try it out for yourself when Reign of the Black Empire launches on October 20.
Hearthstone’s new hero is panda-ring to the Warcraft crowd
That’s right, the Monk class is finally coming to Hearthstone, marking the first new class in four years.
Hearthstone’s First New Class In 4 Years And A More Story-Driven Journal Are On The Way
World of Warcraft: Midnight – Eclipse
VIDEO
World of Warcraft’s Holly Longdale and Ion Hazzikostas introduced a new chapter in World of Warcraft’s Worldsoul Saga, teasing “all gas and no brakes” in the new major content update. Eclipse will set the stage for a showdown with Xal’atath, and the new cinematic trailer showed her on the verge of a serious power-up.
World of Warcraft: The Last Titan
VIDEO
While Eclipse is the next big narrative chapter in World of Warcraft, The Last Titan is where Blizzard is promising a big shake-up to the MMORPG as it wraps up 20 years of storytelling. More details on it will be shared next year.
WoW: The Last Titan Cinematic Ups The Stakes, But First, Xal’atath
Warcraft 3 is getting a new campaign
VIDEO
Longdale teased that Blizzard is “putting the war back in Warcraft” with the new campaign, Forsaken Kingdom, for Warcraft 3: Reforged. When can you play it? Today! Players will get to experience the fall of Lodaeron as Human armies took on mighty Orc forces. Other enhancements include a Definitive Edition graphical update, map editor improvements, and you can even select more units to command.
Warcraft Getting Its First New RTS Campaign In Two Decades–And It’s Playable Today
World of Warcraft: Forever
VIDEO
Azeroth is beckoning players back to where it all started, as we got a first look at World of Warcraft: Forever. The rumored Classic Plus mode for World of Warcraft will kick off with a beta on September 17 and launch on November 4. The game will include new dungeons, 10-20 player raids, the Skyborne as a playable race, account-wide perks, and new zones to explore.
WoW Forever Will Add All-New Content To Classic Azeroth This November
