Blizzard Gear store leaks Overwatch 2 art, World of Warcraft expansion info

By Taylor Lyles Published October 28, 2019

With BlizzCon 2019 set to kick off later this week, information has been leaked on the next expansion for World of Warcraft along with a new image for what appears to be the iteration of Overwatch.

The leaked information first appeared on the Gear store, but Blizzard has since removed the imagery. Fortunately, the images have been uploaded onto MMO-Champion. The first picture was artwork for Overwatch 2, featuring a series of characters charging into battle, which include Echo, an omnic character revealed at last year’s BlizzCon. Despite the recent artwork featuring Echo, there is still no indication of when she will be available in the game. E-sports insider Rod Breslau says it’s “likely untrue” that Echo will be announced at this year’s BlizzCon.

Overwatch 2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

As far as Overwatch 2 goes, not much is currently known. What we do know, however, is that the game is reported to have a heavier emphasis on narrative elements. Overwatch 2 is expected to have “a four-player story experience set in Rio de Janeiro.”

Recommended Videos

The same thread also provided details surrounding a new expansion for World of Warcraft. The first image showcased was a presentation of Bolvar, the new Lich King. World of Warcraft‘s current expansion has left several hints indicating that the next expansion will take place in the Shadowlands.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

These hints include frequent mention of the nightmarish realms planted throughout the latest expansion. Furthermore, Sylvanas Windrunner, who has been dubbed the main character in Battle for Azeroth, has made it quite clear she is obsessed with death.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The third image leaked online suggests that the next World of Warcraft expansion may be called Shadowlands. According to the picture, it appears the forthcoming expansion will allow players to explore a new land called Bastion and they will have the chance to discover and learn new abilities. Of course, it is vital to keep in mind that none of this has been confirmed. BlizzCon is slated to take place on November 1 and November 2. So we will have to wait and see if Blizzard will provide details on some of its upcoming projects during the two-day event later this week.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Based out of Baltimore, Maryland, Taylor is a contributing writer for Digital Trends covering the latest news in the computer…

Gaming

Warcraft and Diablo devs reveal the focus of Phil Spencer’s Blizzard visit

Phil Spencer at BlizzCon 2023. He's presenting on a stage in a black jacket.

Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October, and shortly thereafter, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed on the Official Xbox Podcast that he was going to visit Activision Blizzard studios in the coming weeks. Spencer did so prior to BlizzCon 2023, where he also ended up making an appearance during the Opening Ceremony to reaffirm Xbox's commitment to support all of Blizzard's major franchises. To get a better idea of what Spencer's studio visit and BlizzCon appearance felt like for Blizzard developers, we asked John Hight, Warcraft franchise general manager, and Rod Fergusson, Diablo general manager, about the experience.

"They actually came out a couple of weeks ago, Phil and a lot of his leadership team. What was nice about it was we had prepared all of these PowerPoints and stuff, but they just wanted to meet the teams," Hight told Digital Trends. "They had lunch out in our patio, the cafe. We had hundreds of employees and Phil made himself available just to talk to people. He just wanted to see some of the games and meet some of the people, so we gave him a demo of one of the areas in The War Within for a while, and then we had [game designer] Tom [Chilton] demo Warcraft Rumble. It was fun because we started to go through introductions and I said ‘Clearly you’re having fun playing the game, you can tune out and just play that.' They’ve been very supportive. I think they’re excited by the fact that, especially with Warcraft, we have a diversity of games and platforms that we’re building for.”

Gaming

Why Overwatch 2’s show-stealing new hero took an extra four years to debut

Mauga poses in Overwatch 2.

With the switch to 5v5, Tanks became a make-or-break part of any Overwatch 2 team. While Support and Damage players can rely on another player of their class to pick up their slack when they struggle, tanks no longer have that privilege. As a more casual Overwatch 2 player who’s not competitively viable, this has discouraged me from playing as a tank. While I do like the abilities of characters like Junker Queen, I’m hesitant to play as them because I’m worried about being the player that causes my team to lose. Mauga, the latest Overwatch 2 hero, looks to change that, but it took years of ideas and concept reboots on Blizzard’s end.

Unveiled at BlizzCon 2023, Mauga is an aggressive Samoan tank allied with Talon that can tear through enemies with his two chainguns and dash that makes him invincible. That makes him enjoyable for those who like more offensive Heroes, but Support fans will find some stuff to love with abilities that can heal other players or give them infinite ammo. I had the chance to play Mauga at BlizzCon 2023, and for the first time since Overwatch 2 was released, I’m eager to go back and play as a Tank.

Gaming

Everything announced at BlizzCon 2023: Diablo 4 DLC, Cataclysm Classic, and more

A dragon flies through the sky in World of Warcraft Catclysm Classic.

For the first time since 2019, BlizzCon has returned to its traditional form. While Blizzard's convention held an online ceremony in 2021, it has not been hosted as an in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. That changed today with the 2023 edition, which saw fans returning to the Anaheim Convention Center to get all the news on the studio's games.