Blizzard has introduced the return of its fan-favourite convention BlizzCon.
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It marks a welcome return for the occasion, which hasn’t taken place in full-force since 2019. Whereas Blizzard did host a BlizzCon in 2021, it was pressured to happen fully on-line because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and was subsequently a way more muted affair in comparison with earlier years.
Whereas the corporate did initially plan on internet hosting a BlizzCon in 2022, it was finally cancelled so as to ensure that the occasion “feels as protected, welcoming, and inclusive as doable.”
The considerably low-key announcement was made by way of an end of year update post on Blizzard’s web site. The replace is brief on particulars, with the announcement being made by way of the appointment of April McKee as government producer of BlizzCon.
“Sure, we’re bringing BlizzCon again,” stated Blizzard president Mike Ybarra, promising “extra on that early subsequent 12 months!” No additional details about when BlizzCon may happen, and even once we may hear extra, was revealed within the publish.
The final in-person BlizzCon befell in 2019, and never solely noticed the announcement of each Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2, but in addition hosted the ultimate World Championship for StarCraft 2’s esports scene.
With increasingly more in-person occasions returning, it is smart that BlizzCon would make a reappearance in the end. Nevertheless, Blizzard is in a remarkably totally different place now than it was in 2019. Since then, Activision Blizzard as an entire has been rocked by a sequence of allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, and office misconduct on the firm. Given the intense nature of those allegations, they’re prone to kind a darkish cloud over the festivities.
There’s additionally the matter of the continuing drama round Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Whereas Microsoft continues to mission confidence that the deal will undergo, the merger has run into repeated opposition. Most notably from the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC), who earlier this month launched a press launch earlier this month revealing its intention to dam the deal. With such rigidity round Microsoft’s proposed merger, it stays to be seen if they are going to have a presence on the subsequent BlizzCon.
In different gaming information, Amazon has revealed that it’s redesigning some skins in Misplaced Ark so as to “higher match western norms.”