As worries over the coronavirus continue, Blizzard Entertainment isn’t feeling all that confident for BlizzCon 2020. In a message released earlier today, Blizzard executive producer Saralyn Smith stated the company is unsure whether or not BlizzCon is feasible this year. However, Blizzard does remain “hopeful things will look better.”
It’s not a surprise to hear that Blizzard may postpone its big, annual gaming celebration. Many events, such as E3 and QuakeCon, have been canceled this year. Earlier, the ESA reported that E3 will return in June of 2021. Blizzard’s big extravaganza, however, usually occurs later in the year. This year, BlizzCon was planned with a possible start date of October 30 or November 6.
But now it’s looking unlikely, as coronavirus concerns are still high. However, November is still quite a while away, and things could look better around the time preparations for the show begin. Naturally, Blizzard probably won’t take the chances, and postpone the show until next year.
“While we’re all hopeful things will look better later in the year, the bottom line is that at this point it’s too early to know whether BlizzCon 2020 will be feasible,” Smith wrote. “The health of our community, employees, and everyone who helps with the show is our top consideration. It might be a few months before we know for certain if or how we’ll proceed, but as soon as we have a meaningful update, we’ll share it.”
A Diablo IV presentation might happen online, instead of at BlizzCon 2020.
What are the alternatives?
While some companies are opting for a digital presentation with the loss of the big shows, Blizzard’s plan still isn’t known. According to the message, the company is still sussing things out internally, and is “considering a range of scenarios and possibilities, not just in terms of the show, but also regarding what the experience would be for you.” This could mean that in the worst-case scenario, we’re likely going to learn more about Diablo IV either through an announcement or during a digital showcase.
Of course, that’s just speculation at this point. Blizzard still has some time to figure out just how it’ll ask its audience whether or not they have smartphones.
