Here is a short summary of announcements in BlizzCon:
New Hero Xalatath added to Heroes of the Storm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kMhUVz4q5I
Diablo Netflix series. (More in works/plans)
StarCraft Dominion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eQUtOQXYgQ
Overwatch new hero Doctrine:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5dwH7nx9do
Diablo 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxCN_AKYtts
Heartstone new expansion Reign of the Black Empire Cinematic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imZ4rqFbHFc
Heartstone new class Monk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY2_pygsg1k
Next part of World Soul saga World of Warcraft: Eclipse:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlJZzTcHrH0
Next WoW expansion. World of Warcraft: The Last Titan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9Xb5PhF5pc
“Wow: Classic+”, World of Warcraft: Forever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQuKE0KDgiM
Warcraft 3 DLC, Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1kXClUCyuA
It’s interesting to see Microsoft invest so heavily into Blizzard; I can’t recall a time that they ever unveiled such an ambitious suite of announcements.
They’re revisiting/reviving three otherwise abandoned titles (HOTS, SC, WC3:R), working on a new Diablo, wrapping up the World Soul Saga AND working on their own Classic+ in Forever.
It’s great now, but I do worry about if/when the other shoe drops and Microsoft begins to demand seeing a massive ROI on their investment - there were stories of needing a 30%+ profit from their Xbox division to too long ago.
If anyone can deliver those insane profits on a consistent basis, I’m betting on Blizzard currently. Basically all of their major games are live service and print money. That probably still won’t fully save them from the next round of Microsoft layoffs, but they might no get hit as hard.
Warcraft is notoriously low margin by present-day live service standards, but it sure looks like they are getting there: the new race comes with $30 price tag and beta access is only in the $60 or $80 tiers.
Wild prices considering a product heavily built on top of existing assets.