BlizzCon 2026: StarCraft Shooter, Diablo V, and Warcraft III

Blizzard Entertainment kicked off its annual BlizzCon convention in Anaheim, California, on September 12, 2026, with an opening ceremony packed with major announcements spanning its beloved franchises. The event revealed a new direction for the StarCraft universe, the next installment in the Diablo series, and significant updates for Warcraft III: Reforged and World of Warcraft.

A striking departure for the StarCraft saga, the franchise will see a new open-world shooter released in 2030. Details remain scarce, but the announcement signals a significant evolution for the real-time strategy giant. Fans will also be eager to learn more about Diablo V, slated for a Spring 2029 release. This upcoming title will explore a dark new chapter where Sanctuary has fallen and Diablo has triumphed, posing the question of survival and identity in a post-victory world. Leading up to this, the Diablo IV universe will celebrate its 30th anniversary on September 15 with the "Season of Hell’s Legacy," which will reintroduce the Prime Evils and beloved characters like Deckard Cain. Further expanding the Diablo IV roster, a new Amazon class is expected in the first half of 2027.

New Heroes and Worlds Emerge

The Overwatch franchise marked its 10th anniversary by looking ahead, introducing Doctrine, a new vampire-inspired support hero with life-draining abilities. Doctrine will be playable at BlizzCon and available for all players soon, arriving alongside reworks for Sombra and Roadhog, and a new map, Watchpoint: Grimsvotn. This update also concludes the year-long story arc, "The Reign of Talon." Meanwhile, World of Warcraft is progressing through its "Worldsoul Saga" with the upcoming update "Eclipse" (12.2), which will see Xal’atath's plans unfold as she closes in on Azeroth’s Worldsoul. The saga's conclusion, "The Last Titan," is also teased, promising to wrap up over two decades of Warcraft narrative. Adding to the classic Warcraft experience, a surprise new campaign, "The Forsaken Kingdom," has been released for Warcraft III: Reforged, detailing the fall of Lordaeron. In a novel twist for the long-running MMORPG, a new playstyle called "World of Warcraft: Forever" will launch on November 4, 2026. Set in the Vanilla era, it offers expanded exploration with new zones, quests, and dungeons, alongside a new playable race, the Skyborne.

Hearthstone is also evolving with its "Reign of the Black Empire" expansion, launching October 20. This expansion delves into Azeroth's earliest history before the Old Gods' imprisonment and introduces the "Assemble" keyword. Prior to this, on September 22, Battlegrounds will receive a new minion type, "Aberrations." The Monk class is set to join Hearthstone in March 2027, marking the first new playable class in six years. For those engaging with Heroes of the Storm, the character Xal’atath will become playable on September 28.

Beyond the games themselves, Blizzard announced a Diablo animated series is in development with Netflix. The full BlizzCon livestream continues throughout the weekend, offering panels and deeper dives into these upcoming releases.