Hello! We're just a few hours away from Blizzcon 2016's opening ceremony - it begins at 6pm UK time - and finding out which of his nice bowling shirts Mike Morhaime will be wearing to mark the occasion.
But that's not the only big news we're expecting from this year's show.
After literally decades of teasing and a severely overwrought ARG we should finally see the reveal of Overwatch's next hero: Sombra. The question at this stage is how exactly she'll be unveiled to the world. Please don't hack the stage. Please don't hack the stage. Please don't hack the stage.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Diablo franchise and rumours suggest a Necromancer-themed expansion might be on the cards. I've been offered an interview with the Diablo team tomorrow afternoon, so they better announce SOMETHING.
We tend to see either a new Hearthstone adventure or expansion during Blizzcon, so expect something along those lines. Probably a full expansion, given that A Night in Karazhan launched back in August.
Heroes of the Storm will inevitably see more hero reveals. Seriously, they produce them at an unbelievable rate.
And perhaps something about the future plans for StarCraft 2, unless they're saving that for the panel later on today.
Hello everyone!
They're letting me handle the livetext for this year's Blizzcon, which is very exciting.
– Chris Bratt
I'm not heading into the show for another couple of hours, but I'm going to dash over and grab some pictures of the entrance itself. It'll be like you're right there with me.
– Chris Bratt
Anyway, right.
Last night I went to a Blizzcon party hosted by Wowhead, the largest World of Warcraft database on the Internet.
Let me tell you, things got PRETTY wild.
– Chris Bratt
– Chris Bratt
Ugh, I'm actually a Horde player.
– Chris Bratt
What can I say? The Alliance had better props on offer.
– Chris Bratt
Percinho: erm... Am I missing something or does this not actually say when it starts?
The opening ceremony kicks off in about 3 1/2 hours.
So that's 6PM GMT.
I'll update the post now.
– Chris Bratt
– Chris Bratt
Nice to see Grandma Overwatch getting pride of place in this year's Blizzcon artwork. As is only right.
– Chris Bratt
Alright, I've been to the entrance! Here's what that looks like.
– Chris Bratt
– Chris Bratt
– Chris Bratt
– Chris Bratt
Do you think all of these people are here for Blizzcon too?
– Chris Bratt
Right, I'm off for some breakfast. Don't break anything.
– Chris Bratt
Alright, I'm in. Had to fight my way through a lot of very enthusiastic Blizzard fans, but I've got a seat for the opening ceremony.
– Chris Bratt
– Chris Bratt
Oridan: By which I mean, have you seen Metzen anywhere? :P
Not yet! Hoping he gets a nice send off during the ceremony. Seems a nice man.
– Chris Bratt
Baddamobs: I know, in my heart of hearts, that Diablo 4 isn't going to happen, but...I want to believe!
If they reveal Diablo 4, I'll eat my press pass.
– Chris Bratt
We're still an hour away from things kicking off. Not sure what I'm supposed to do for the next 60 minutes...
– Chris Bratt
Anyone fancy a game of Overwatch?
– Chris Bratt
30 minutes! Are you guys still watching a WOW Arena stream?
– Chris Bratt
Oh, we've got action here. Pre-show trailer!
– Chris Bratt
A giant Reinhardt just walked past. My kind of people.
– Chris Bratt
Looking back at Blizzard's 2016. It's been an alright year for them, hasn't it?
– Chris Bratt
Someone next to me just shouted "For the Horde!"
– Chris Bratt
I mean, I agree with him, but I'm trying to look like a serious games journalist here.
– Chris Bratt
Did they just call their sofa the 'BlizzCouch'?
– Chris Bratt
A nice little preview of Mike's bowling shirt this year. Looks to be his WOW Legion number. Nice.
– Chris Bratt
Roughly 10 minutes until we see him in the flesh.
– Chris Bratt
Bertie: HIYAAAAAA HAPPY SOMBRA
HELLO BERTIE
– Chris Bratt
5 minutes!
– Chris Bratt
Alright, here we go. Hopefully some surprises in store, despite the leaks.
– Chris Bratt
Hey guys. I wonder if they might reveal a new Overwatch hero. That'd be neat.
– Chris Bratt
And my WiFi died! Amazing timing.
– Chris Bratt
10 years of Blizzcon! :')
– Chris Bratt
A montage of Blizzard from roots to present day - a history lesson! Who's actually been to BlizzCon apart from Bratterz? The bloody show off.
– Robert Purchese
That D4 die...
– Robert Purchese
Professionalism has gone out of the window here. I've got a massive grin on my face.
– Chris Bratt
LOVELY MIKE MORHAIME!
– Chris Bratt
Back at it again with his WOW Legion bowling shirt.
– Chris Bratt
Is that Thrall's voice doing the announcing?
– Robert Purchese
It seems I'm a little ahead of the stream. Look down here for EARLY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
– Chris Bratt
The stream glitches a bit for me... Skips back sometimes. Not like real-life... normally.
– Robert Purchese
The first Blizzcon hosted 4000 attendees. Now that number is more than 25,000.
– Chris Bratt
Allen Adham is rejoining Blizzard. He has decided to be "unretired"! He co-founded Blizzard with Mike Morhaime and Frank Pearce.
– Robert Purchese
The next content update for WOW is in development. "It is going to be an awesome 2017 for the Alliance..." says Morhaime, to boos and cheers. Long pause. "And, for the Horde!" What a troll!
– Robert Purchese
– Chris Bratt
Mischief, a Fell Kitty pet, is coming. Hardly Sombra, is it? But now he's talking Overwatch!
– Robert Purchese
Oh no. It's HAPPENING.
– Chris Bratt
THE STAGE IS BEING HACKED.
– Chris Bratt
And there we are! The inevitable Sombra reveal. This is actually, dare I say it... quite fun?
– Chris Bratt
Sombra, Reaper and Widowmaker working together. Overwatch pals.
– Chris Bratt
She uses an SMG, has a stealth ability and... hacks things?
– Chris Bratt
AND A TELEPORT. Perhaps her Ultimate?
– Chris Bratt
"Boop!"
Yeah, I'm a fan.
– Chris Bratt
"I'm sure nobody saw that coming," says Morhaime.
– Chris Bratt
Playable at Blizzcon! Expect impressions later on today.
– Chris Bratt
There's another couple of maps on the way, plus a brand new Arcade mode.
– Chris Bratt
Over to StarCraft 2, which is still seeing continued support from Blizzard. More co-op missions planned, plus a new co-op commander.
– Chris Bratt
Right, now we're talking advanced AI research? Okay, let's see where this goes.
– Chris Bratt
There's a fella from DeepMind on stage. He's really into artificial intelligence. That's his thing. Loves AI.
– Chris Bratt
Collaborating with Blizzard to "open up StarCraft 2 to AI research around the world".
– Chris Bratt
This will almost certainly lead to humanity's demise.
– Chris Bratt
From a neww Overwatch hero to complicated AI research. Where can we possibly go next?
– Chris Bratt
Esports, apparently.
– Chris Bratt
Overwatch seeing its first Blizzcon tournament this weekend. The UK got knocked out, didn't they?
– Chris Bratt
They should have asked me and Bertie to give it a shot. Sometimes we even use our ultimates at the same time!
– Chris Bratt
Esports as far as the eye can see.
– Chris Bratt
Blizzard are launching the Overwatch League, promising guaranteed salaries, contracts and loads of official support.
– Chris Bratt
Bertie, you fancy it? This games journalism thing isn't going to last forever.
– Chris Bratt
Oh yeah. Weird Al Yankovic will be closing out the show. Blizzard are such massive, massive dweebs.
– Chris Bratt
"Let's remind the world what matters most is not winning, but how we are with each other," says Lovely Mike.
– Chris Bratt
Malek86: But what about Diablo!
Looks like I won't be eating my press pass after all...
– Chris Bratt
Right. Heroes of the Storm.
– Chris Bratt
I wonder if they might reveal some new heroes. I think they might reveal some new heroes.
– Chris Bratt
The cheers are noticeably quieter for this game. You've got to wonder how big its playerbase actually is right now, compared to the likes of WOW, Overwatch & Hearthstone.
– Chris Bratt
They are, in fact, revealing a new hero.
– Chris Bratt
Varian Wrynn, off of World of Warcraft.
– Chris Bratt
As Alliance characters go, he was alright. Watch that pre-Legion cinematic, if you haven't already.
– Chris Bratt
Hang on, Varian is fighting Ragnaros. Both confirmed as upcoming heroes.
– Chris Bratt
Oh my goodness, Sombra's ultimate sounds INCREDIBLE.
– Chris Bratt
"EMP: Sombra discharges electromagnetic energy in a wide radius, destroying enemy barriers and shields and hacking all opponents caught in the blast."
– Chris Bratt
Sorry, back to HOTS. Both heroes are playable at Blizzcon and Varian is coming to the live game real soon.
– Chris Bratt
If you play 15 games of HOTS with a buddy, you unlock a Genji skin for Overwatch. I mean, that'll probably work.
– Chris Bratt
That's Bertie and me playing 15 games of HOTS next week.
– Chris Bratt
Anyway, Hearthstone!
– Chris Bratt
Here comes the next expansion reveal?
– Chris Bratt
Gadgetzan!
– Chris Bratt
Hearthstone's Gadgetzan is a...shady, crime town?
– Chris Bratt
YES. Another Hearthstone song. Now it's a party.
– Chris Bratt
'Mean Streets of Gadgetzan'
– Chris Bratt
The first of the town's notorious crime families is called..... 'The Grimy Goons'. That's a rubbish name for a crime family, isn't it?
– Chris Bratt
'The Jade Lotus'. That's better, but I mean, they seem to be mostly Pandaren.
– Chris Bratt
Holding out for the third family.
– Chris Bratt
'The Kabal'.
– Chris Bratt
Each family adds a new tri-class card. Huh.
– Chris Bratt
gamecat: Where is Ben Brode? This guy is not fun.
Having a baby, I think. I like this guy though!
– Chris Bratt
There's an amusing delay when each card is revealed, as the crowd rushes to read and understand its abilities.
– Chris Bratt
Mean Streets of Gadgetzan set for early December.
– Chris Bratt
Next up: Diablo 3!
– Chris Bratt
Considering the Sombra leak was legit, that Necromancer artwork seems promising.
– Chris Bratt
POLITICAL JOKE.
– Chris Bratt
The original Diablo is being recreated in Diablo 3 to celebrate its anniversary. OKAY. YUP. THAT'LL DO IT.
– Chris Bratt
"Special graphics filters to make the visual pixelated and grainy."
– Chris Bratt
The anniversary patch will be on the PTR next week!
– Chris Bratt
POLITICAL JOKE #2.
– Chris Bratt
Two new zones being added to the game next year, if you have Reaper of Souls. Accessed via Adventure Mode.
– Chris Bratt
And yes, there we are, the Necromancer!
– Chris Bratt
The crowd seemed to enjoy that one, surprisingly.
– Chris Bratt
Will be sold as part of a character pack next year.
– Chris Bratt
And that's a wrap, Blizzard pals.
– Chris Bratt
Sombra and the Necromancer both looks ace, despite not being huge surprises. Good show.
– Chris Bratt
I'm off to try and hug Mike Morhaime.
– Chris Bratt
See you soon, with some Sopmbra hands-on impressions!
