07 November 2023 , 17:00
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The two-day extravaganza returned as an in-person event last weekend, full of surprise announcements, and fans reuniting over their love of Activision Blizzard’s games.
There aren’t too many video game publishers that can justify holding their own annual conference designed to celebrate and update folk on their ongoing portfolio of live service titles. Ever since 2005, however, Activision Blizzard has treated the most ardent members of its community to just that in the form of BlizzCon, which returned to the Anaheim Convention Centre as an in-person event this past weekend for the first time since 2019. It was filled with announcements and surprises aplenty, and being on the ground floor myself, the exuberant buzz running through the crowd was palpable.
This tone was expertly set by Friday morning’s opening ceremony, where members of Activision Blizzard’s teams updated fans about all of the exciting things they have planned. Overwatch 2, Diablo, and World of Warcraft players all had their thirsts quenched to some degree, but more so in the case of WoW, where the wildly successful fantasy MMO sits on the cusp of celebrating its 20th anniversary. One planned expansion not enough? How about three? World of Warcraft’s WorldSoul Saga – kicking off next year with The War Within expansion – is an ambitious prospect, but one that senior VP of story, Chris Metzen’s enthusiasm had the arena crowd believing the studio could pull off.
As well as being the first in-person BlizzCon for four years, it was also the first since Activision Blizzard was welcomed into the Xbox first-party family following the Microsoft Activision deal approval. And while Xbox Series X|S players hoping for a Diablo 4 on Xbox Game Pass announcement were left still waiting (unsurprisingly), head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, being welcomed onstage by Activision Blizzard president Mike Ybarra was the ultimate cementation of the two company’s newfound partnership – even if remains to be seen just how fruitful the acquisition will be.
In terms of opening ceremony announcements, the WorldSoul Saga undeniably brought the biggest pop, swiftly followed by the reveal of Overwatch 2’s first Samoan character, Mauga, and confirmation that Diablo 4’s first full expansion will be called Vessel of Hatred and is coming as soon as next year. Details on the DLC were extremely light, but it was a great capper to a fiery section that saw the devs from Activision Blizzard’s biggest 2023 hit really reinforce the message that it's listening to its community. Following the character nerfs we saw in Diablo 4 update 1.1.0a and Season of Blood’s botched launch, lord knows it’s the least they deserve.
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Of course, for as exhilarating as the BlizzCon 2023 opening ceremony ended up being, any Activision Blizzard devotee will tell you that it’s on the show floor – in five halls of the Anaheim Convention Centre, no less – where the fun really begins. I share something in common with Phil Spencer in that this year was my first BlizzCon too, and I remain staggered at how much juice the recently acquired publisher was able to squeeze out of just a handful of games. Each flagship title had its own dedicated hall, designed and dressed to make you feel like you had entered that particular world.
I was most intrigued by the Diablo 4 hall, having poured countless hours into the world of Sanctuary both for my Diablo 4 review as well as its various post-launch updates. Complete with life-size Lilith statue, tarot card reading and signing areas, the unabashed highlight was the ability to get a hellish tattoo forever stained onto your skin. Only the most blessed would be able to walk away with one before the weekend’s finish, though, since slots for the entire two days were taken up immediately.
World of Warcraft, Overwatch and Hearthstone were done similar justice in their own respective halls, with thousands of fans all clamouring to trade pins, share drinks, and battle each other at any one of the tens of demo booths available. Though most of these opportunities required a tad too much queueing for my liking – especially given the high cost of a BlizzCon 2023 entry ticket – everyone was either walking on by or waiting with a smile on their face, safe in the knowledge that they shared a strong passion with the people standing next to them.
I can’t think of another event other than BlizzCon where the developers themselves are so front-facing and open to being engaged. A far cry from the secret-laden halls of, say, the Gamescom business area; I lost count of how many times I saw the likes of Diablo 4’s Rod Fergusson and Chris Wilson stop and talk to fans following calls to say hi at the opening ceremony. Being less familiar with Overwatch, Hearthstone and World of Warcraft, I can’t say for certain, but I’m sure this was a common sight in the other halls too.
Although I’d never been to BlizzCon before, it quickly became clear to me just how much this event matters to so many people – especially given the hiatus. With cosplayers peppering the halls, announcements galore, and the occasional glimpse of creatives behind the games themselves, it seemed to me that Activision Blizzard hadn’t lost a step in putting on a fun and engaging celebration of a rather tight-knit collection of titles.
Even primarily as a Diablo 4 player myself, other people’s passion was infectious and unlike almost any other fan-fueled event I’d been to. All-in-all, it was a solid success and joyous return for BlizzCon. I can't wait to head back for next year's event!