Blizzard Entertainment was forced to cancel its annual BlizzCon fan convention earlier this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but the company has announced new plans for an online-only version of the show. BlizzConline will take place from 19 February to 20 February, 2021.
? BlizzConline is set to take place February 19-20, 2021!
There’s lots of planning left to do, but we wanted to provide an early heads-up on how you can take part in the online festivities! ?
Check out the blog for more details on the fun! ?
? https://t.co/fY1x6SBMZm pic.twitter.com/QNev7OiGFX
— Blizzard Entertainment (@Blizzard_Ent) September 21, 2020
“While circumstances are keeping us from gathering in person this year, we’re putting together a little something early next year to channel the spirit of BlizzCon into the form of an online show.We still have a lot of planning to do, and it’ll be some time before we’re ready to share more details – but we wanted to provide a heads-up on how you can be a part of the online fun,” Blizzard said in a press release.
BlizzCon — which is usually held in November as an in-person fan event — is where Blizzard typically makes some of the biggest announcements for its stable of popular franchises, including World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Starcraft, Hearthstone, and Diablo. But next year all eyes will be on the return of two of Blizzard’s biggest franchises, with Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 set to take center stage. Both were revealed at Blizzcon 2019, and are now well overdue a fresh look at their development progress.
Though the showcase is still in the “planning” stage, Blizzard hopes it will be more accessible than ever, thanks to its online status as opposed to its usual in-the-flesh guise. It will include a “Community Showcase” allowing “cosplay crafters, artists, and other community creators to participate in the show and put their talent on display through a mix of world-class competition and exciting exhibitions.”
