By Jake BOWMAN

Since 2005, Blizzcon has been a staple for Blizzard Entertainment fans every year. It is a celebration of game franchises that many gamers today have grown up with, including Starcraft, Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and Heroes of the Storm. It is not a trade show like E3, which is technically made for industry professionals; Blizzcon is all about the fans. Each year it showcases new and exciting developments and projects in the works for each of its main franchises along with Q&A sessions and live performances on the final day of the con.

The first Blizzcon in 2005 featured the Burning Crusade, one of the World of Warcraft expansions and generally considered to be one of the greatest expansions to date. There was also a songwriting competition judged by Johnathan Davis of Korn and performances by The Offspring and Elite Tauren Chieftain, an in-house Blizzard rock group that is featured in World of Warcraft. Metal music and some of the most beloved games of all time mixed with a company that, until recently, seemed to be populated by passionate gamers created some of the greatest events in gaming history. With such a rich history of creating memorable moments, one would assume that Blizzcon 2019 would be an easy win for the company. Yet the company has been on unsteady ground for seemingly the past decade.

Whether it was the merger with parent company Activision in 2008 or just a changing of the guard with old employees leaving and new ones coming in is anyone’s guess. There have always been complainers and people who can’t let go of the past but recent events in particular do not bode well for the company as a whole. Last year, Blizzcon 2018 saw one of the worst bungles in gaming history with the announcement of Diablo Immortal, a mobile game. Diablo is on its third major installment and, while it was not initially well received at all, for the past seven years the company managed to implement big changes to create a generally positive experience. Seven years is a long time, though, and many fans at the con last year were excited to see the announcement of the next major installment, Diablo 4. Instead, fans were met with the announcement of Diablo Immortal, a mobile game based on the franchise.

There is a lot of money in mobile gaming and there is a massive market for it, but trying to market a mobile game to a hardcore PC gaming audience was a massive mistake. The announcement was immediately met with backlash at the event itself with one fan going to far as to suggest that maybe this game was an out-of-season April Fools’ joke. While the con was plagued with negative press and disappointed fans, the company itself had been doing well financially. But then Blizzard decided to lay off over 800 employees earlier this year. In an effort to cut costs, Blizzard and the publishing arm Activision let go of a huge chunk of staff not involved in actual game development. This was immediately met with backlash from social media and games journalists and does not paint a pretty picture for the once passionate game studio.

Many fans feel jaded that the company they grew up with and loved is not the same company now that’s making these games. Blizzcon 2019 is a chance for Blizzard to reassure fans that it is here for them and its mission is to make great games. This will undoubtedly be a pivotal event for the company and its image in moving forward.

Blizzcon will take place at the Anaheim convention center on Nov. 1-2.

  Jake BOWMAN