Blizzard Entertainment opened BlizzCon 2026 with several major announcements, including Diablo V, a new open-world StarCraft shooter and a third version of World of Warcraft known as World of Warcraft: Forever.
Johanna Faries began the Opening Ceremony at the Anaheim Convention Center by acknowledging Blizzard’s players and the developers responsible for its games. In her opening address, Faries discussed the importance of games, creativity and the communities formed around them.
What a special moment this is, and a chance to gather around the games, the universes, the bonds that continue to inspire our work, our friendships, and our lives. My hope is that our coming together can remind the world why community like this matters so much, why artistry matters, why creativity matters, and why making and playing games will matter always.
Among the announcements were new games and expansions, updates for several existing titles and plans to adapt more Blizzard properties for other forms of entertainment.
World Of Warcraft: Forever
Blizzard announced World of Warcraft: Forever, a third World of Warcraft experience that will operate alongside the game’s Modern and Classic versions. Launching on 5 November 2026, Forever will allow players to explore three new zones containing more than 1,000 quests, nine dungeons and two raids. It will also introduce the Skyborne as a new playable race. A beta test is scheduled to begin on 18 September 2026.
Diablo V
The next mainline entry in the Diablo series is officially in development, with Diablo V scheduled to launch during the North American spring of 2029. The game is set in a version of Sanctuary that has already fallen, with Diablo having emerged victorious. Its story will centre on what players must become to survive in a world that has already been defeated.
StarCraft Returns As An Open-World Shooter
Blizzard also confirmed the return of StarCraft with a story-driven, open-world shooter. Few details about the project were provided during the Opening Ceremony, but the game is currently targeting a North American spring 2030 release.
Diablo Animated Series In Development At Netflix
Blizzard is expanding its properties beyond games through partnerships with other creative companies. The first announced project is an animated series set in the world of Diablo, which is currently in development at Netflix. Further details will be shared at a later date, with Blizzard indicating that additional adaptations from across its franchises are also taking shape.
Warcraft III: Reforged Receives New Campaign
Warcraft III: Reforged has received its first new storyline in more than 23 years through a campaign titled Forsaken Kingdom. Available now, the campaign explores the fall of Lordaeron and its eventual transformation into the Undercity. It arrives alongside the 3.0 update, which introduces a graphics update and a revamped World Editor among its changes to the real-time strategy game.
Xal’atath Joins Heroes Of The Storm
Heroes of the Storm will add Xal’atath as its newest playable Hero on 29 September 2026. The character will become available through the game’s Public Test Realm on 15 September 2026. Blizzard also suggested that further content may be planned for the game.
Diablo IV Revisits The Series’ History
Diablo IV: Season of Hell’s Legacy will begin on 16 September 2026, incorporating elements from across the franchise’s 30-year history. The season will feature the return of the Prime Evils and Deckard Cain, alongside equipment and rewards inspired by different eras of the series. The Amazon will then join Diablo IV during the first half of 2027 as part of the game’s first class pack. The returning class will be able to use both bows and javelins. Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection will also launch for Nintendo Switch 2 on 16 September 2026. This version will support cross-platform play and cross-progression while providing access to the game’s evolving endgame content.
World Of Warcraft Continues The Worldsoul Saga
Blizzard provided an early look at the future of Modern World of Warcraft, including its next major update and the expansion that will conclude The Worldsoul Saga. The Eclipse update, also designated update 12.2, takes place during the Midnight expansion and follows Xal’atath as she moves closer to claiming Azeroth’s Worldsoul. The following expansion, The Last Titan, will conclude a major chapter spanning more than two decades of Warcraft storytelling while establishing the foundations for what follows. More information is expected early next year.
Overwatch Season 5 And BlizzCon Performances
Season 5 of Overwatch will introduce Doctrine, a new Support Hero, alongside major reworks for Sombra and Roadhog. The season will also add the Watchpoint: Grimsvötn map and conclude The Reign of Talon, the first year-long narrative arc produced for Overwatch. Japanese duo YOASOBI will perform during the first esports halftime show held at BlizzCon as part of the Overwatch World Cup. LE SSERAFIM will return to the event’s Main Stage for a performance closing the BlizzCon weekend ahead of the group’s upcoming United States tour. A new LE SSERAFIM in-game collaboration is available now, while the next Overwatch Spotlight presentation is scheduled for February 2027.
Hearthstone Adds The Monk Class
The Monk will become Hearthstone’s next playable class in 2027, marking the first new class added to the game in more than six years. It will bring a fluid and adaptable playstyle based on its established identity within the wider Warcraft universe. Blizzard also revealed Reign of the Black Empire, an expansion set during Azeroth’s earliest age and before the imprisonment of the Old Gods. The expansion introduces Assemble, a keyword that combines two cards to create a new one. An overhauled Journal will consolidate stories, quests, achievements and events from past expansions in a single location. Hearthstone Battlegrounds is also receiving Aberrations, a new minion type consisting of interdimensional beings created through the influence of the Old Gods.
