Blizzard has posted an announcement regarding the previous BlizzConline 2021 plans.
- We can expect to hear announcements still next year.
- Blizzard would like to take time to reimagine what BlizzCon means.
- Potential events in the future need to feel safe, welcoming, and inclusive.
- They are taking the time to work more on supporting themselves and progressing game development.
Quote From Blizzard To the Blizzard community,
We’ve decided to take a step back and pause on planning the previously announced BlizzConline event scheduled for early next year. This was a tough decision for all of us to make, but it’s the right one.
Any BlizzCon event takes every single one of us to make happen, an entire-company effort, fueled by our desire to share what we create with the community we care about so much. At this time, we feel the energy it would take to put on a show like this is best directed towards supporting our teams and progressing development of our games and experiences.
Additionally, we would also like to take the time to reimagine what a BlizzCon event of the future could look like. The first BlizzCon was held 16 years ago, and so much has changed in the time since—most notably, the multiple ways in which players and communities can come together and feel like they are a part of something bigger. Whatever the event looks like in the future, we also need to ensure that it feels as safe, welcoming, and inclusive as possible. We’re committed to continual communication with our players, and we see BlizzCon playing a big role in that going forward. We’re excited about what we’ll do with the event when we revisit it in the future.
One more thing we wanted to make clear: even though we aren’t holding BlizzConline in February, we’ll still be making announcements and updates for our games. We’re proud of our teams and the progress they’ve made across our games. We have a lot of exciting upcoming news and releases to share with you. You’ll continue hearing about those through our franchise channels, with the talented people on the BlizzCon team playing a part in supporting these efforts.
We’ll miss seeing you, but don’t worry. We’ll be back together soon.
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Comments
Its probably canceled less because of the ongoing controversy and more because they haven't much to give us. Diablo 4, overwatch 2, another hearthstone expansion. What else is there that we don't know already? If Im not mistaken overwatch 2 is slated at late 2022 and diablo 4 wont be out until at least 2023 or further.
2021? Wouldn't it be 2022 in February?
No, 2021 is correct. BlizzCon is traditionally held in November, but was postponed to February this year because of the pandemic. Same for "BlizzCon 2021" which was actually scheduled for February 2022.
I wouldn't be surprised if along with the other changes they want to implement, they'll remove the association with a particular year, at least for a little while. Which means they'll probably end up skipping a year (technically) because the event will take place well into the new year. Not a bad thing to happen, considering all the negative connotations the name "BlizzCon" now conveys.
makes sense that they do not want to do a blizzcon or any other community events at the moment with the ongoing investigations and the bad press they have. the blizzcon would not be about their products but damage control . Also most questions would/could not be answered due to ongoing lawsuits.
i am just afraid they will overdo the corrections like all the tv shows / movies currently seems to do. any teenagers watching them would think being straight white is a minority.
What they actually mean is: We do not want to risk further bad press for holding BlizzCon amid the ongoing lawsuit and scandal. The one thing in the release that gets me a bit scared is this: "Potential events in the future need to feel safe, welcoming, and inclusive." Please do not overdo it.
"feel safe, welcoming, and inclusive" dear god....
I know when a lot of companies say that line, it usually ends up being some negative effect or its at least perceived that way. I do think BlizzCon needs some serious reform though.
I know people who have gone there and have not felt safe. Sometimes it brings out some of the stalker-types and other related people and it becomes a bad environment for fun. By extension, this makes folks not feel welcome. People at Blizzard in charge of BlizzCon need to not brush aside complaints (which they have done in the past) and actually take action against dangerous people.
Inclusivity is also important. Even just on the side of the European, Asian, and Australian fans, BlizzCon (physical) is not a very easy to access event which has been a very unfortunate because there isn't any other big Blizzard party (gamescom was the closest Europe had to a BlizzCon, and that's a stretch). Blizzard needs to figure out the satellite BlizzCon stuff so there can be multiple events going on at the same time, opening up everything to more of the world.
The side that most consider when looking at being inclusive though, marginalized groups of people, I'm honestly not sure what has gone wrong here with BlizzCon, outside of some presenters in the past making poor comments. Maybe that is all that needs to change and that would be something easy to accomplish by fixing the underlying issues at the company. If there is something bigger picture though within the community (and not Blizzard itself, we already know the hellscape that they are atm) that's hurting BlizzCon, I am not currently aware of any issues that were being experienced by folks at the convention (outside of aforementioned safety problems) and would love to be enlightened.
What's wrong with inclusivity?