BlizzCon 2026 has kicked off with one of Blizzard Entertainment’s biggest opening ceremonies in years. The company used its return to the Anaheim Convention Center to reveal Diablo V, a brand-new StarCraft open-world shooter, World of Warcraft: Forever, major updates for Diablo IV and Overwatch, a new Hearthstone class, and even a Diablo animated series.
In brief:
- Diablo V is officially coming in Spring 2029, with Diablo having already conquered Sanctuary.
- STARCRAFT, a new open-world shooter set in the Koprulu Sector, launches in Spring 2030.
- World of Warcraft: Forever launches November 4, 2026, offering a new take on Vanilla-era Azeroth.
- Blizzard also revealed major Diablo IV, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Warcraft III, and Heroes of the Storm updates.
Diablo V Officially Announced for Spring 2029
The biggest surprise of the BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremony was arguably Diablo V.
Blizzard confirmed that the next mainline Diablo game will launch in Spring 2029. The premise is considerably darker than usual, as Sanctuary has already fallen and Diablo has won.
According to Blizzard, Diablo V will explore what its heroes must become when they are fighting in a world that has effectively already lost. No platforms or detailed gameplay information were announced during the opening ceremony.
New StarCraft Open-World Shooter Coming in 2030
After years without a major new StarCraft game, Blizzard is finally returning to the Koprulu Sector.
Simply titled STARCRAFT, the newly announced game is an original open-world shooter scheduled for Spring 2030. Blizzard kept details about the project limited, but the announcement confirms that the franchise is expanding beyond its traditional real-time strategy roots.
It is easily one of Blizzard’s most intriguing long-term projects, especially considering how long fans have waited for a substantial new StarCraft release.
World of Warcraft: Forever Reimagines Vanilla Azeroth
Blizzard also announced World of Warcraft: Forever, which will become the third major WoW experience alongside Modern and Classic.
Forever returns players to the Vanilla era but is not simply another recreation of the original game. Instead, Blizzard plans to explore previously unseen parts of that version of Azeroth.
At launch, World of Warcraft: Forever will feature:
- Three new zones
- More than 1,000 new quests
- Nine new dungeons
- Two new raids
- A new playable race called the Skyborne
The beta begins September 17, while the full game launches on November 4, 2026.
Blizzard also teased The Last Titan, the final chapter of the Worldsoul Saga, while confirming that more information will arrive in early 2027. Before that, WoW’s upcoming Eclipse 12.2 update will continue the conflict surrounding Xal’atath and Azeroth’s Worldsoul.
Diablo IV Gets Amazon Class and Nintendo Switch 2 Release
Diablo IV also had plenty to show at BlizzCon.
The Season of Hell’s Legacy launches September 15 as part of Diablo’s 30th anniversary celebration, bringing back the Prime Evils, Deckard Cain, anniversary rewards, and gear inspired by previous Diablo games.
Blizzard also revealed that the Amazon will arrive as Diablo IV’s first class pack during the first half of 2027. Diablo IV is additionally coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on September 15.
Warcraft III: Reforged Gets Its First New Campaign in Decades
In another unexpected announcement, Warcraft III: Reforged is receiving a completely new campaign.
Called Forsaken Kingdom, the campaign revisits the fall of Lordaeron and its transformation into the Undercity. Blizzard says it represents the first new Warcraft III story in more than 23 years.
It arrives alongside update 3.0, which includes a substantial graphics overhaul and a revamped World Editor. Better yet, Blizzard released the update during BlizzCon, meaning it is available now.
Overwatch Reveals Doctrine, New Map, and Major Reworks
Overwatch’s tenth anniversary celebrations included the reveal of Doctrine, a vampire-inspired Support Hero capable of draining life and deploying bat-like drones.
Doctrine will arrive as part of Season 5 alongside major reworks for Sombra and Roadhog, as well as the new Watchpoint: Grimsvötn map. Season 5 will also conclude The Reign of Talon, Overwatch’s first year-long narrative storyline.
Blizzard confirmed that another Overwatch Spotlight presentation is planned for February 2027.
Hearthstone Is Finally Getting the Monk Class
Hearthstone is also receiving its first new playable class in six years.
The Monk will officially join Hearthstone in March 2027, bringing the class’s adaptable and fluid fighting style to Blizzard’s card game.
Before that, Reign of the Black Empire launches October 20 with an Old God-focused setting and the new Assemble keyword. Battlegrounds will also introduce the new Aberration minion type on September 22.
Heroes of the Storm Returns With a New Hero
Despite years of limited development, Heroes of the Storm received its own surprise announcement.
Xal’atath is joining the Nexus as a new playable Hero on September 28, with PTR testing beginning September 14. Blizzard also teased that there could be even more coming for Heroes of the Storm in the future.
Blizzard Is Also Making a Diablo Animated Series With Netflix
Blizzard’s plans extend beyond games. The company confirmed that a new animated series set in the Diablo universe is in development with Netflix.
Details remain scarce, but Blizzard described it as part of a broader push to tell stories from its franchises across additional forms of entertainment.
With Diablo V, a new StarCraft shooter, World of Warcraft: Forever, and several major updates to its existing games, BlizzCon 2026 has given Blizzard fans a packed roadmap stretching all the way into 2030. More announcements and developer details are expected throughout the remainder of the September 12 and 13 event.
