by JR Cook - 2 months ago     show comments

BlizzCon is back this Saturday, September 12, and after skipping both 2024 and 2025, Blizzard seems ready to make a statement. We’re expecting major reveals across multiple franchises, from the conclusion of the Worldsoul Saga to the return of StarCraft after nearly a decade of silence. The convention hasn’t had a consistent cadence lately (2020 was canceled for COVID, 2021 went virtual, 2022 was skipped entirely, and 2023 was the last in person show), so this feels like Blizzard planting a flag and saying they’re ready to do this properly again.

The biggest item on everyone’s wishlist is The Last Titan, the third and final expansion of the Worldsoul Saga. Midnight is still the current expansion, but we’re deep enough into its lifecycle that a reveal for what comes next makes perfect sense. The community has been buzzing about a revamped Northrend and the possibility that Blizzard will finally address the giant sword stuck in Silithus (you know, the one we’ve all been pretending doesn’t exist for years). Don’t expect a release date, but a cinematic and some zone previews are likely.

Camelot and Other Warcraft Mysteries

Then there’s Camelot, the codename that’s been leaking out of every corner of Blizzard’s operation for months. The leading theory is that it’s a reimagined World of Warcraft Classic that branches off in a different direction than the main game, which would be a massive undertaking. The Blizzard apparel store quietly added a “Camelot” color scheme to its backend last week, which is about as close to confirmation as you can get without an actual announcement. If you’re planning to watch opening ceremonies, this is one to keep an eye on.

There’s also chatter about Warcraft Chronicles, a rumored RTS that could be anything from a full remake of the original trilogy to something entirely new. And given Blizzard’s recent transmedia push (the Warcraft movie may not have set the box office on fire, but they clearly haven’t given up on the idea), a film or TV announcement isn’t out of the question.

StarCraft’s Long-Awaited Return

StarCraft is coming back in some form, and Blizzard has been teasing it pretty overtly. There’s an ARG running right now, the BlizzCon website has been dropping hints, and reports from earlier this year confirmed that the long-rumored StarCraft shooter is still in active development. We don’t know if it’s a straight shooter, some kind of hybrid, or something weirder, but the fact that we’re getting anything StarCraft is notable. The last release was a remaster of the original game in 2017, and StarCraft 2 itself came out in 2010. It’s been a long time.

My personal hope is a Helldivers like shooter which I think would do wonderful in the Starcraft setting.

Diablo and Everything Else

Diablo is the wild card. Lord of Hatred launched in April and people are still working through it, so a new expansion announcement feels unlikely. A mid-2027 reveal is possible, but I wouldn’t bet on it. This might just be a year where Diablo takes a backseat and we get some smaller updates instead, and that’s fine. Not every franchise needs to dominate every BlizzCon.

Overwatch and Hearthstone will almost certainly show up with seasonal updates and maybe a new hero or card set Hearthstone has been hinting heavily in their social media as something Sha related which is pointing to possibly some kind of Pandaria theme with possibly the introduction of the monk class, but the real action this year is clearly in Warcraft and StarCraft. We’ll know everything for sure when opening ceremonies kick off Saturday morning.