The BlizzCon 2018 opening ceremony featured exciting announcements for all of Blizzard’s franchises. We got our first look at the 29th Overwatch hero, saw Heroes of the Storm‘s first original hero in action, and heard about yet another StarCraft II co-op commander. Oh, and a beloved Blizzard classic is being remastered, and an entirely new Diablo game is coming to mobile devices. Here’s everything that Blizzard announced at BlizzCon 2018.
- ‘Diablo Immortal’ is a brand new mobile game
- Ashe joins ‘Overwatch’
- ‘Hearthstone’ gets a new expansion
- ‘World of Warcraft Classic’ arrives Summer 2019
- ‘Warcraft 3: Reforged’ lands in 2019
- ‘Heroes of the Storm’ gets its first original character
- A new co-op commander comes to StarCraft II
- ‘Destiny 2’ is free-to-own on Battle.net right now
‘Diablo Immortal’ is a brand new mobile game
No, Blizzard did not reveal the long-awaited Diablo 4, but the company did have some interesting Diablo news to share nonetheless. For the first time, a Diablo game is coming to mobile devices. Diablo Immortal, a brand new experience set between the events of Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, was co-developed by Netease Games and Blizzard. The game takes place five years after the destruction of the Worldstone and answers the questions of what happened to Tyriel, Deckard Cain, and more during this pivotal period in the Diablo universe.
The brief gameplay video shown off on stage demonstrated that the Diablo experience will be fully recreated on mobile, all the way down to the isometric perspective and combat commands. It was described as “massively multiplayer” in the trailer and features six classes from Diablo 3 (no Witch Doctor, though). No word yet on when to expect Diablo Immortal, but it’s playable on the show floor at BlizzCon.
Find our more in our full Diablo Immortal coverage.
Ashe joins ‘Overwatch’
Jeff Kaplan showed off a new Overwatch animated short, Reunion. The short, which you can view above, stars McCree and a host of new characters. One of those characters, Ashe, appears to be McCree’s past rival. After teasing possible new heroes from the short, Kaplan revealed that Ashe will be Overwatch‘s 29th hero.
The western outlaw-stylized heroine wields a shotgun and carries dynamite, which she can blow up in the air with a blast of her shotgun. The DPS heroine can also vault high into the air, and her ultimate move is one of the coolest we’ve seen yet. Once activated, her robot pal B.O.B. shoots from his giant, machine gun-equipped hands. B.O.B. also wears a tiny top hat, a nice little addition for the awesome sidekick. Blizzard didn’t reveal when Ashe joins the fight.
Find out more in our full Overwatch coverage, or read about the sweet new McCree Nerf blaster.
‘Hearthstone’ gets a new expansion
Hearthstone‘s next expansion, Rastakhan’s Rumble, takes a deep dive into the lives of trolls during their generational quest for the blessings of the Loa. Each of the nine Hearthstone classes will get a set of trolls and a Legendary leader. New Loa spirit cards will appear as legendary minions, including one that has a whopping 25 mana cost. The new keyword for this expansion is “Overkill,” which lets you use another card during your turn.
Hearthstone fans won’t have to wait long for Rastakhan’s Rumble, as it launches December 4. Two different versions are available for pre-order now. For $20, you get 17 card packs with The Challenger’s Bundle. The Rastkhan’s Rumble bundle includes 50 card packs for $50.
‘World of Warcraft Classic’ arrives Summer 2019
Announced at BlizzCon last year, we finally know when World of Warcraft Classic will arrive. The reimagining of vanilla WoW launches Summer 2019 and is included with WoW subscriptions. Those who purchased a virtual ticket for BlizzCon can download a one-hour demo of World of Warcraft Classic today.
Find out more in our full World of Warcraft Classic coverage.
‘Warcraft 3: Reforged’ lands in 2019
Fans of Warcraft have been waiting for the next iteration in the strategy franchise for 16 years. Sure, this isn’t a new iteration in the franchise, but Warcraft 3: Reforged, a remake of the 16-year-old classic, looks pretty great. Launching sometime next year, Reforged is rendered in 4K, features fully rebuilt characters and animations, includes a remastered map and campaigns, and has UI updates. A “Spoils of War” edition is available for pre-order now and, like many Blizzard special editions, includes bonus content for the studio’s stable of games.
‘Heroes of the Storm’ gets its first original character
Up until now, all Heroes of the Storm characters have been pre-existing Blizzard heroes. Orphea, the latest character in the MOBA, changes that. The Heir of Raven Court is an assassin born and raised in the Nexus. She has an ancient relic that lets her deal high levels of damage in a concentrated zone. Orphea comes to Heroes of the Storm on November 13.
A new co-op commander comes to StarCraft II
“Alas, the day has finally come…”
Wield the might of the Xel’naga with Zeratul, your next Co-op Commander! pic.twitter.com/mXnQ51Y9Re
— StarCraft (@StarCraft) November 2, 2018
StarCraft II is getting a new co-op commander, Zeratul. The psionic warrior has a warp blade and a cloaking ability that allows him to move about stealthily. He wields ancient technology that boosts the power of his Xel’naga army. He also has the neat ability to reveal artifacts across the map that can boost his powers.
‘Destiny 2’ is free-to-own on Battle.net right now
Before the show started, it was revealed that Bungie’s Destiny 2 will be free from Battle.net from November 2 to November 18. Once you claim the game, it’s yours forever. Destiny 2 will also have another Gambit trial November 9-11 on all platforms.
