Sorry Diablo Fans, But Coronavirus Just Put BlizzCon 2020 in Jeopardy
The Diablo developer generally hosts BlizzCon at the end of October. | Source: AP Photo / Jae C. Hong
- Blizzard says BlizzCon may not be “feasible” this year.
- The Diablo and Overwatch publisher cites the coronavirus pandemic as cause for concern as it continues to work on this edition of the convention.
- The company says it is exploring alternative “scenarios and possibilities” for the event.
Blizzard Entertainment has some bad news for hardcore fans of Diablo, Warcraft, and Overwatch. This year’s edition of the annual BlizzCon convention may not happen in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
BlizzCon 2020 Might Not Be ‘Feasible’
The publisher explains in an update on its official site that it doesn’t yet know whether BlizzCon 2020 will be “feasible.”
Blizzard cites questions from would-be attendees about whether the convention would go ahead this year as the reason behind the post.
With the cancellation or postponement of events such as E3, GDC, and even the Olympic Games in response to the pandemic, fans are understandably concerned BlizzCon might be affected.
BlizzCon executive producer Saralyn Smith explains:
While we’re all hopeful things will look better later in the year, the bottom line is that at this point it’s too early to know whether BlizzCon 2020 will be feasible. The health of our community, employees, and everyone who helps with the show is our top consideration. It might be a few months before we know for certain if or how we’ll proceed, but as soon as we have a meaningful update, we’ll share it.
Diablo Publisher Explores Alternative ‘Scenarios and Possibilities’
The company does note that before the coronavirus crisis erupted, plans were on track for this year’s event. Despite the challenges thrown up by the pandemic, work is still going ahead with an eye on BlizzCon going forward.
The update suggests that Blizzard is also exploring alternative arrangements. These would presumably take the form of a digital-only event similar to those announced as replacements to E3, for example.
The Diablo developer generally hosts BlizzCon at the end of October. This does allow for a considerable amount of time for the global situation to evolve. As Blizzard says, we won’t know the fate of this year’s edition for a “few months.”
