BlizzCon 2019: watch the opening ceremony live here
Update: Diablo 4, Overwatch 2 and World of Warcraft expansion Shadowlands announced
BlizzCon 2019 begins on Friday and you can watch the opening ceremony live via the official YouTube embed at the top of this page.
It will start at 11am PT/2pm ET/6pm GMT and last for approximately one hour.
Update: The live stream is now finished but you can rewatch it via the video at the top of the page. Here’s our coverage of the news announced during the event.
- Blizzard announces ‘darker’ Diablo 4 at BlizzCon
- Blizzard reveals Overwatch 2: Story missions, new heroes and more
- World of Warcraft expansion Shadowlands announced
- Blizzard president ‘accepts accountability’ for Hearthstone Hong Kong controversy
Original story continues: Friday’s opening ceremony, which is also being streamed on Twitch, may include several major product announcements ahead of more in-depth panel reveals during the show, which is taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center in California from November 1-2.
The company is expected to announce Diablo 4, after images of an upcoming Blizzard art book reportedly confirming the game’s existence surfaced in October.
The first details of a story-focused Overwatch 2 also appeared online last month, ahead of an expected BlizzCon reveal.
The BlizzCon schedule includes six 45-minute “coming soon” slots on the Mythic stage, four on Friday November 1 and two more on Saturday November 2. These are likely being reserved to showcase some of the show’s biggest announcements.
The annual fan convention will also include updates on World of Warcraft (Shadowlands is tipped to be a new expansion) and Hearthstone, alongside several art and design developer sessions, esports tournaments and a cosplay exhibition.
Blizzard says more panel content from the main BlizzCon stages will be available to watch live online for free “than ever before” this year, including the opening ceremony and esports tournaments.
However, the full online experience is reserved for those who purchase BlizzCon “all-access” virtual tickets for $49.99.
Blizzard has recently come under fire for banning several Hearthstone esports players who expressed support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement during tournaments.
In response to its actions, digital rights non-profit organisation Fight for the Future says it’s planning to stage an “epic day of protest with hundreds of other gamers who care” outside the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday.
