Blizzard's annual BlizzCon is typically an in-person convention that serves as Blizzard's way to announce new games and interact with their community. However, tons of big gaming events have been forced to go online this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and BlizzCon is no exception. For those looking forward to Blizzard's upcoming releases, here's how fans can catch the online-only version of BlizzCon this year.
BlizzConline is set to take place on February 19 and 20, with each day distinct types of content planned. BlizzConline's opening ceremony will begin at 5PM EST on February 19. The first day will be focused on upcoming Blizzard titles and game content, while the stream on the 20 will highlight fan-made content and the community surrounding Blizzard's games. For those looking for information on the future of World of Warcraft or Overwatch 2, the 19 would be the day to tune in to the broadcast.
Blizzard fans will be able to watch the show on three different platforms. YouTube and Twitch will both feature streams of BlizzConline, though the main viewing experience will be hosted on the official BlizzCon website. BlizzCon's website won't just host a single stream of the event, since each major franchise will have its own channel to watch. In total, there will be six different channels of content for every kind of Blizzard fan.
Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Hearthstone and Diablo all have their own channels that'll exclusively feature that game's content. There are two additional channels that are a little more general to make six total. One of extra channels will feature rebroadcasted highlights from the other channels, and the other is a Strategy channel focusinf on Blizzard's wide range of strategy games, with an emphasis on StarCraft.
This is an incredibly unique way to host an online convention. It makes sense, as attendees at a typical in-person convention have the freedom to attend the presentations that they're interested in. Instead of having to sit through an entire presentation, fans can focus on the content they want to see. This also gives the presenters more time to show off the new content coming to Blizzard's many different franchises.
There's a schedule available on BlizzCon's website for the event that outlines what fans can expect from each channel. In the Overwatch channel, fans will be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Overwatch 2. The Diablo and World of Warcraft channels will focus on letting fans know what Blizzard has in the works for those franchises. There will also be plenty of streams in the Diablo, Overwatch and World of Warcraft channels that'll dive into the lore of those games.
The Diablo channel is certainly one to pay attention to, since both Diablo 4 and a remake of Diablo II are known to be in the works. Diablo 4 hasn't been officially revealed for BlizzConline, so getting some information on the game would be a pleasant surprise for fans. Similarly, BlizzConline could be where the next War of Warcraft content patch or expansion is announced. World of Warcraft's Shadowlands expansion launched recently, and content beyond the expansion's release is unknown.
Earlier this year, Vicarious Visions (the studio known for the Crash Bandicoot remakes) were officially bought by Blizzard. According to a Bloomberg report, Vicarious Visions were assigned to work on a remake of Diablo II back in January. Given that there's an entire stream focused on the future of the Diablo series, it wouldn't be much of a surprise to see that remake shown off to fans. With six different channels of content to watch and tons of anticipated games in Blizzard's future, the first online BlizzCon is absolutely worth checking out for fans of their many franchises.