Online event tentatively planned for early 2021.
BlizzCon 2020

In a move that is probably the least surprising one in this hell that we call "2020," Blizzard has officially announced that this year's BlizzCon event is cancelled. It's not gone entirely, but the event itself will be online only for the first time ever.

Saralyn Smith, executive producer of BlizzCon delivered today's unfortunate news in a posting that explains how the decision to cancel the in-person event was not made lightly.

Several weeks ago, I shared an update about our uncertainty around holding BlizzCon this year. Since then, a lot has changed . . . and a lot also hasn’t changed. During this time, we’ve had many discussions about what holding a convention could look like in light of all the health and safety considerations we’d want to make. We’ve also talked about different paths we could take, and how each one could be complicated by fluctuations in national and local health guidelines in the months ahead. Ultimately, after considering our options, we’ve come to the very difficult decision to not have BlizzCon this year.

We’re feeling deeply disappointed about this decision, and imagine many of you will feel the same. I truly love BlizzCon, and I know that’s a sentiment shared by everyone at Blizzard. We will sorely miss connecting with so many of you at the convention and “recharging our geek batteries” this fall.

But we will meet again!
Smith goes on to say that they are currently working on how to "channel the BlizzCon spirit" into an online-only experience. They say that they want to do an event "as soon as (they can)," but concede that it probably won't happen until early 2021. One of the major hurdles slowing progress on this is the fact that most everyone is still working from home. Shockingly, that tends to make organizing an event like BlizzCon, even an online-only one, just a bit challenging!

For the eSports fans and competitors, Blizzard knows that BlizzCon is a place where big eSports events are held each year. They are currently looking into alternatives for supporting some of these competitions that would normally take place at BlizzCon proper.

More details on the future of BlizzCon will be forthcoming in the months ahead.