For the past eleven years, the mass of fans for Blizzard Entertainment have gathered for the event widely known as BlizzCon. BlizzCon returns again this year THIS WEEKEND, November 3rd and 4th, for two days of all things Blizzard Entertainment.
Whether you’re a fan of World of Warcraft, take on your opponents in Heroes of the Storm, play a friendly game of Hearthstone in the tavern, get down and gritty with Diablo, or live the hero life within Overwatch, the events over the upcoming days are meant for you!
What exactly is BlizzCon?
BlizzCon is Blizzard Entertainment’s epic celebration of gaming and community. If it is Blizzard related, it will be within the walls of the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California this weekend.
“The community is the heart of Blizzard’s games, and BlizzCon is our favorite way to connect directly with our players and geek out over the things we’re passionate about. We’ve worked hard to make this our biggest and best BlizzCon yet, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone this Friday.” Mike Morhaime, CEO and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment.
What’s Next for Blizzard Games?
Blizzard tends to not pull any punches when it comes to their events, especially when it comes to their gaming franchises. Fans in attendance during BlizzCon can expect specific events detailing what is coming next for each of the games represented. Kicking off on Friday, November 3rd, you’ll be able to visit the Mythic stage in the Main Hall and hear all about what has come and what is to come for your favorite games.
If you are part of the Alliance or the Horde, the World of Warcraft developers will be on hand to give you details on what’s to come. Ready for the end of the Year of the Mammoth in Hearthstone? Look no further than their “What’s Next?” panel on Friday! Expecting a new hero from the Overwatch team? You might get a hint at their panel detailing what’s next, as the panel takes an “in-depth look at the newest updates coming to Blizzard’s team shooter.”
((Blizzard Entertainment))
If you’re not too busy taking in all the delicious gaming details of what’s next for Blizzard, you might find yourself taking in some of the ESports that BlizzCon has to offer! Here’s the list of what ESports Blizzard is offering this upcoming weekend, live and in person:
- WoW Arena World Championship
- HGC (Heroes of the Storm)
- HSI (Hearthstone)
- StarCraft II WCS Global Finals
- Overwatch World Cup
Besides the live action of Esports throughout the convention, details about Blizzard’s upcoming Overwatch League will (hopefully) all come into focus! Details regarding teams for the league have been steadily released in the past few weeks, but Overwatch fans in attendance can expect more news from the “Inside the Overwatch League” on Saturday, November 4th. There is bound to be some interesting news announced!
Panels, Discussions, and More!
Let’s say you’re not entirely exhausted when it comes to gaming and want just a bit more to do while you’re at BlizzCon. They’ve got you covered. All across the map of the convention center, you can find yourself coming upon panels and discussions that might keep your interest!
((Blizzard Entertainment))
You can find yourself wandering up to a stage and taking in a live demonstration from Blizzard artists! There you might see a live sculpting exhibition, learn new techniques behind the epic concept that Blizzard creates, and more! Wanting to learn a bit more about animating the characters in-game? You can do that too in the panel aptly named “Blizzard Art Live- In-Game Animation!”
The panels do not stop there though. Attendees can expect to see the team from Geek and Sundry with their own panel, “Connect and Inspire Through Play with Geek and Sundry,” where you can join some of the talents behind G&S as their share their own personal experiences. After all, their mission is “to connect and inspire through play!”
Fans of the voices within World of Warcraft will want to make their way to the panel “The Powerful Women of Warcraft,” where you’ll hear from the voice actresses who bring the voices to the heroines of the Alliance and Horde! With voices come sound, which you can experience at their “Sound of Blizzard Cinematics” panel as well, detailing how Blizzard makes their award-winning cinematics sound so damn good!
Cosplay!
What would a convention be without a little bit of cosplay? BlizzCon means a LOT of cosplay, all worked on tirelessly by their creators, all made for their own personal joy but to show off their dedication and fandom. If you’re an up and coming cosplayer, maybe check out the panel on beginning with Blizzard cosplay, “CosplayCraft 101: Taking Your First Step on the Path to Cosplay,” where you can learn tips and tricks from cosplayers who once were just starting out.
For a taste of what cosplay you might see at BlizzCon, check out the video below from BlizzCon2016!
Blizzard is known for going big for their Closing Ceremonies at BlizzCon. In previous years, talent such as Weird Al and, Blink 182, Metallica, and Linkin Park have taken the stage, and this year is no different! The Closing Ceremony entertainment is none other than Muse, which will be more than a treat for convention attendees.
Sadly, badges for BlizzCon are about as hard to get, if not harder, than getting a badge for San Diego Comic-Con and is completely sold out. That doesn’t mean you can’t partake in all the fun though! Blizzard offers a virtual convention pass, which gets you access to all of the panels and discussions had throughout the convention. It even gives you in-game goodies to use, such as the awesome BlizzCon Winston skin for Overwatch! If you’re interested, you can get your own virtual ticket here!
