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BlizzCon 2021 Incoming – Diablo Expectations

BlizzCon Online BlizzCon 2021

Last year’s BlizzCon was shunted to this month making it BlizzCon 2021 and its online-only thanks to the pandemic. It’s a couple of weeks out so what can we hope for this year?

It’s a real shame last year’s event was canceled, but like every other live event at the moment, it’s either been canceled or moved online. It may have taken a few extra months to organise but it’s great that Blizzard is spending the time and resources to get an event to us albeit online. So what can we expect this year when it comes to Diablo?

With Diablo Immortal testing having taken place no doubt there will be more on that, even if it’s a small slice of update news for mobile fans. That however is not the big talking point at the moment.

diablo 4 classes campfire starter screenWe’ll be seeing more Diablo 4 footage pop up and more discussion on game systems during this year’s event (or is it last year’s?). We’ve had some pretty good developer updates since the game was announced and there’s been plenty of hirings too. Of course, there has been a hint that there may be another class reveal too which would be a nice bonus for this online show. During the last developer update back in December, they reiterated more developer news was coming at BlizzCon and hinted that the campfire scene is changing.

Speaking of which, our next update will take place during BlizzConline, rather than in blog form. We’ve read speculation about what it could be and want to ensure you that it is something chunky indeed. Without spoiling the surprise, Iet’s just say it involves a new version of the campfire scene we showed you last BlizzCon

So it looks all good for Diablo 4 at BlizzCon 2021 but there’s one thing that’s on everybody’s minds right now, that elusive Diablo 2 remake. Last year in June they issued a statement saying there would be no Diablo announcement on Diablo 2’s 20th anniversary which dampened the excitement for a remaster announcement. It looked like a remaster could be dead in the water.

Speculation was fueled again recently following the move of Vicarious Visions into the Blizzard fold. To remind you, Vicarious Visions are rather good are remasters and ports, and following Bloomberg’s story that they have been working on Diablo 2 with Blizzard, it appears there’s more to this move than a company restructuring.

In the past week, Vicarious Visions’ former Studio Head Jennifer Oneal, has also become EVP of Development at Blizzard. There’s definitely something afoot. Perhaps this is a complete red herring but there’s obviously been a bit of a shake-up in the Blizzard camp in recent months.

What is puzzling is the timeframe of all this Diablo 2 remaster news, or Diablo 2: Resurrected as it’s thought to be called. With Blizzard focusing on Diablo IV, are we to assume now that it’s some way out from release? It would seem odd to push out a Diablo 2 remaster following the release of Diablo 4. It’s more likely a Diablo 2 remaster would come first to heighten anticipation for Diablo 4. It would give the Diablo 4 team as much time as they need to get the game just right and bring back a lot of Diablo players who were not enamoured with Diablo 3.

One thing is for sure, Diablo players are going to have to keep a keen eye on BlizzCon 2021 because they may not disappoint. There could not only be more  Diablo IV information but perhaps a tease on this much talked about Diablo 2 remake. That’s, of course, assuming it does really exist and Bloomberg’s story is factual.

BlizzCon 2021 will be available to watch on February 19th and 20th and BlizzCon bundles are available now.

 

 

 


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