Anticipation was equally weighted against expectation coming into BlizzCon 2023. It's been four years since the company's last celebration was held in-person, with Blizzard Entertainment having suspended the event as a result of both the COVID-19 pandemic and litigation related to alleged workplace harassment. It's now back with thousands of fans of the Diablo, Overwatch, StarCraft, and Warcraft franchises making the pilgrimage to Anaheim California in an effort to put voices to faces and gain a better understanding of the new worlds that Blizzard is building.
Ahead of the Opening Ceremony, kicking off the two-day BlizzCon 2023 schedule, players on the ground point back to the strength of the 2019 showcase as reason to get excited. World of Warcraft: Shadowlands was announced, alongside reveals of Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 – the latter landing with an early build playable on the showfloor. Given that ticket prices had increased by almost 30% since, there was some expectation that the 2023 event would hold similar promise, particularly with the shadow of a completed Microsoft Gaming acquisition looming large over proceedings.
