BlizzCon
Encyclopedia
"BlizzCon" is an annual convention held by Blizzard Entertainment
to celebrate their major franchises: Warcraft
, StarCraft
and Diablo
. The 2010 convention, featuring a live performance by Tenacious D
, was held on October 22–23, and the 2011 convention, which featured a performance by the Foo Fighters
, was held on October 21–22.
BlizzCon first started in October 2005, held at the Anaheim Convention Center
where it has been held since. Some features included the announcements of release of new content for their franchises, previews of content for upcoming games, and Blizzard developer Q&A sessions.
Throughout the days are hands-on experience of new,existing and the old games, various panels related to the multiple franchises, and judging of the contests being held - including costume and songwriting. The closing night has held a concert, previously The Offspring
and Blizzard's in-house band (whose members are employees) Level (10, 60, 70, 80 or "The Artists Formerly Known as Level 80") Elite Tauren Chieftain.
Everyone attending gets a "swag
bag", which consists of various items related to the Blizzard Franchises. For example, at the 2005 BlizzCon, there was a code that could be exchanged for an in-game pet from World of Warcraft
, which was a baby Murloc named 'Murky'. As well, there have been passes to get in to the closed beta test of an upcoming Blizzard game - World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
from 2005, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
for 2007, StarCraft II for 2008, and Diablo III
for 2010.
Tickets for the first three events were US$
100 each for admission to both days of activities. For 2009 the price was raised to $125. For 2010, the price was raised to $150. For 2011, the price was raised to $175. All of the extras in the swag bag, concerts, panels, and contests are included in the price.
The similar event is the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational
and it can be held in other countries.
. Playable demos of the single and multiplayer modes of the currently halted Starcraft: Ghost
were available. A songwriting competition was judged by Jonathan Davis
of Korn
. Level 60 Elite Tauren Chieftain, comedian Christian Finnegan
; and punk rock
band The Offspring
performed at the closing concert. Among other gifts, attendees received a card with two special codes. One code allowed the attendee to sign up for the closed beta test of The Burning Crusade. The other allowed players to obtain Murky, the pet murloc, in-game.
On April 12, 2007, Blizzard announced their second BlizzCon, taking place again at the Anaheim Convention Center
on August 3 and August 4, 2007. StarCraft II was allowed for public play, as single player or 2v2 as Terran or Protoss. Much of the game was revealed and explained as well as Q&A with attendees. The Zerg race was, however, not unveiled at that time. The second expansion to World of Warcraft, titled Wrath of the Lich King
, was officially announced. The event's "swag bag" included various items, including an access key to a beta test of an upcoming title (Wrath of the Lich King), a Murloc suit for use in World Of Warcraft, and starter packs for the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game
. Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain (who changed their name to reflect the new level cap in The Burning Crusade) and comedian Jay Mohr
performed at the closing concert alongside Video Games Live
.
, and approximately 15,000 people attended.
In the opening ceremonies, Blizzard president Michael Morhaime
revealed the third playable class for Diablo III: the Wizard, as well as the major announcement that Starcraft II would be separated into three games.
Playable versions of Diablo III
, StarCraft II, and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
were available for patrons to test for the length of the convention. As well, there were tournaments and competitions for the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, World of Warcraft miniatures game, StarCraft
, StarCraft II, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, and World of Warcraft arena. The Zerg race was now playable in the StarCraft II demos.
As a major announce, Blizzard announced in a Starcraft II conference that the game will be released as a trilogy, each release following the story of one of the three races and covering around 30 missions, but any of the copies will be enough to play the full version of the multi-player game.
For the closing ceremonies on Saturday, Blizzard CEO Paul Sams thanked everyone for coming. After that, comedians Kyle Kinane and Patton Oswalt
entertained the audience before Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain came on stage for their performance. Closing out the night was Video Games Live, playing arrangements from all of the Blizzard games, and a brand new performance including the Wrath of the Lich King music.
BlizzCon 2008 was broadcast live on both days as a PPV
event, for eight hours per day in high definition. Official Blizzard fansite WoW Radio broadcasted live audio via shoutcast.
on August 21 and August 22, 2009.
In an attempt to reduce frustrations linked to lack of ticket availability for previous BlizzCons, there were to be four halls (increased from three) of space available.
Tickets went on sale on May 16 and May 30, 2009. For this batch of ticket sales, Blizzard implemented an entirely new system designed to make buying BlizzCon tickets much easier than the previous year. The new system implemented an online queue, effectively creating an organized online "line" for anyone who wants to purchase tickets, an improvement on 2008's chaotic sale of Blizzcon tickets. The ticket queue system worked much more fairly during both the May 16th and May 30 sales though many did not get tickets due to quick sales time. There were, however, a number of browser related issues that caused a number of people to be unable to purchase tickets. For many, their queue stayed at the same spot no matter how long they waited, and others noticed their queue go up, effectively keeping them at the end of the line and preventing them from purchasing tickets. Blizzard also created a new flash game "Failocallypse" to play while waiting in line.
Blizzard announced on August 11, 2009 that Ozzy Osbourne
would perform live during the 2009 BlizzCon closing ceremonies.
carried both days of BlizzCon 2008 as a PPV event ($39.95 for both days) for eight hours per day in both standard and high definition. Coverage started on Channel 121 and 122 HD at 2PM ET / 11AM PT on both Friday, August 21, 2009 and Saturday, August 22, 2009. All BlizzCon 2009 Pay Per View event purchasers received an exclusive "Grunty the Murloc Marine" World of Warcraft
in-game pet. and had access to the online stream for no additional cost, provided they entered their DIRECTV account number into the stream site login.
BlizzCon tournament coverage is hosted by GotFrag eSports and are streamed live on Blizzcon's website. Replays of these streams are available on GotFrag's website. Blizzcon brings in top e-gamers from around the globe to compete in Starcraft, Warcraft III, and World of Warcraft. The top three in each game are given cash prizes.
on October 22 and October 23, 2010. As of 10:27AM PST on Saturday, June 5, all Blizzcon 2010 Tickets were sold out.
Photos from the convention
Similar to 2009, BlizzCon 2010 was available live via an online broadcast ("BlizzCon Virtual Ticket" on blizzcon.rayv.com) and on DIRECTV as a Pay Per View event.
The "BlizzCon Virtual Ticket" provided four live feeds from the convention floor, offering 50+ hours of HD BlizzCon programming. All purchasers also receive a BlizzCon 2010-exclusive WoW pet "Deathy" and StarCraft II in-game items.
DIRECTV again offered both days of BlizzCon 2010 as a PPV event ($39.95 USD for both days) for ten hours per day in both standard and high definition. Coverage started on Channel 121 and 122 HD at 2PM ET / 11AM PT on both Friday, October 22, 2010 and Saturday, October 23, 2010. DIRECTV purchasers will also receive "Deathy" and the StarCraft II in-game items as well as the Virtual Ticket for free.
Tenacious D
(Jack Black
/ Kyle Gass
) played at the closing ceremonies of Blizzcon 2010, Dave Grohl
also performed as the drummer for the entire concert.
During the dance competition, one of the contestants dislocated his knee performing the Undead Male dance onstage.
Korean pro-gamer MVP_Genius won the StarCraft II Blizzcon Invitational, with Chinese pro-gamer LonerWE.Prime coming second.
. Once again, Blizzard would be hosting their own series of tournaments, one for StarCraft II
and one for World of Warcraft
. For StarCraft II, Jeong "Mvp" Jong Hyeon would secure first place, with his team mate Lim "NesTea" Jae Duk taking second and Yang "Sen" Chia Cheng taking third place.
It was announced on July 12, 2011 by GOMtv.net that the GOMTV Global Starcraft II League
October final match will take place in Anaheim alongside BlizzCon. Moon "MMA" Sung Won and Jeong "Mvp" Jong Hyeon would head over to Anaheim to participate due to their success back in South Korea
. MMA would eventually beat Mvp, 4-1. GomTV would later release a mini documentary featuring the Korean player's experiences at Blizzcon. Video.
The closing ceremony had a performance by Blizzard's own in house band, The Artist Formerly Known as Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftains (TAFKL80ETC), who changed their name mid concert to Level 90 Elite Tauren Chieftains (L90ETC). Foo Fighters
performed afterward.
It was announced on October 18th that four Brood War pro gamers, Bisu, Jaedong, Jangbi and Fantasy, would be going to Blizzcon for exhibition matches. It was unknown as to whether or not they will be promoting Brood War, StarCraft II, or both, however, it was later revealed that they had no scheduled matches.
The opening ceremony showcased a new Diablo III
cinematic trailer titled "The Black Soulstone", a StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
reveal trailer showcasing new units and abilities, a "Blizzard DOTA" trailer for a Custom Game made for StarCraft II
and the reveal of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
, a new expansion for World of Warcraft
.
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
to celebrate their major franchises: Warcraft
Warcraft Universe
Warcraft is a franchise of video games, novels, and other media originally created by Blizzard Entertainment. The series is made up of Four core games: Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, and World of Warcraft...
, StarCraft
StarCraft (series)
StarCraft is a military science fiction media franchise created by Chris Metzen and James Phinney, and owned by Blizzard Entertainment. The series centers on a galactic struggle for dominance between three species—the adaptable and mobile Terrans, the insectoid Zerg, and the enigmatic Protoss—in a...
and Diablo
Diablo (series)
Diablo is an action role-playing game franchise owned and produced by Blizzard Entertainment. , the series has sold over 18.5 million copies worldwide.-Story:...
. The 2010 convention, featuring a live performance by Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...
, was held on October 22–23, and the 2011 convention, which featured a performance by the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, was held on October 21–22.
Anaheim Convention Center
The Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. Much of the Anaheim Convention Center has been renovated in recent years with state-of-the-art facilities...
where it has been held since. Some features included the announcements of release of new content for their franchises, previews of content for upcoming games, and Blizzard developer Q&A sessions.
Throughout the days are hands-on experience of new,existing and the old games, various panels related to the multiple franchises, and judging of the contests being held - including costume and songwriting. The closing night has held a concert, previously The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
and Blizzard's in-house band (whose members are employees) Level (10, 60, 70, 80 or "The Artists Formerly Known as Level 80") Elite Tauren Chieftain.
Everyone attending gets a "swag
Promotional merchandise
Promotional merchandise, promotional items, promotional products, promotional gifts, or advertising gifts, sometimes nicknamed swag or schwag, are articles of merchandise used in marketing and communication programs. They are given away to promote a company, corporate image, brand, or event...
bag", which consists of various items related to the Blizzard Franchises. For example, at the 2005 BlizzCon, there was a code that could be exchanged for an in-game pet from World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, which was a baby Murloc named 'Murky'. As well, there have been passes to get in to the closed beta test of an upcoming Blizzard game - World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, often referred to as TBC or BC, is the first expansion pack for the MMORPG World of Warcraft...
from 2005, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, often referred to as WotLK, WLK or Wrath, is the second expansion set for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, following The Burning Crusade...
for 2007, StarCraft II for 2008, and Diablo III
Diablo III
Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise...
for 2010.
Tickets for the first three events were US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
100 each for admission to both days of activities. For 2009 the price was raised to $125. For 2010, the price was raised to $150. For 2011, the price was raised to $175. All of the extras in the swag bag, concerts, panels, and contests are included in the price.
The similar event is the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational
Blizzard Worldwide Invitational
The Blizzard WorldWide Invitational is an event organized by Blizzard Entertainment to meet players, offer playable demos of future games, and offer various activities linked with Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo universes....
and it can be held in other countries.
Past BlizzCon editions
| Year | Dates | Number of attendees | Major announcement | Beta key | World of Warcraft item | StarCraft 2 item | Playable games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | October 28–29 | World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, often referred to as TBC or BC, is the first expansion pack for the MMORPG World of Warcraft... |
The Burning Crusade | Murky the Murloc pet | StarCraft: Ghost StarCraft: Ghost StarCraft: Ghost is a military science fiction stealth-action video game under suspended development by Blizzard Entertainment. Part of Blizzard's StarCraft series, the game was announced in 2002 and was to be developed by Nihilistic Software for the Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 video... , The Burning Crusade |
||
| 2007 | August 3–4 | 13,000 | World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, often referred to as WotLK, WLK or Wrath, is the second expansion set for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, following The Burning Crusade... |
Wrath of the Lich King | Murloc costume | StarCraft II, Wrath of the Lich King | |
| 2008 | October 10–11 | StarCraft II as a trilogy, Diablo III Diablo III Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise... Wizard class |
StarCraft II | Polar Bear mount with riding Murloc | Wrath of the Lich King, StarCraft II, Diablo III | ||
| 2009 | August 21–22 | World of Warcraft: Cataclysm World of Warcraft: Cataclysm World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is the third expansion pack for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, following the last expansion Wrath of the Lich King. It was officially announced at BlizzCon on August 21, 2009, although dataminers and researchers discovered details... , Diablo III Diablo III Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise... Monk class |
Grunty the Murloc Marine pet | Cataclysm, StarCraft II, Diablo III | |||
| 2010 | October 22–23 | Diablo III Diablo III Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise... Demon Hunter class, Diablo III Diablo III Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise... Arena PVP |
Deathy, murloc disguised as Deathwing | Murloc Marine Portrait and Deep-Sea Decals | Cataclysm, StarCraft II, Diablo III | ||
| 2011 | October 21–22 | World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is the fourth World of Warcraft expansion pack. It was announced on October 21, 2011 by Chris Metzen at BlizzCon 2011.-Overview:... |
Murkablo, murloc disguised as Diablo | PanTerran Marine Portrait and Fist of Furry Decals | Mists of Pandaria, StarCraft II - Heart of the Swarm, Diablo III | ||
BlizzCon 2005
Approximately people attended the first BlizzCon, held on October 28 and October 29, 2005. For the first time, the general public was able to try the new races for upcoming expansion, World of Warcraft: The Burning CrusadeWorld of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, often referred to as TBC or BC, is the first expansion pack for the MMORPG World of Warcraft...
. Playable demos of the single and multiplayer modes of the currently halted Starcraft: Ghost
StarCraft: Ghost
StarCraft: Ghost is a military science fiction stealth-action video game under suspended development by Blizzard Entertainment. Part of Blizzard's StarCraft series, the game was announced in 2002 and was to be developed by Nihilistic Software for the Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 video...
were available. A songwriting competition was judged by Jonathan Davis
Jonathan Davis
Jonathan Houseman Davis is the lead vocalist and frontman for the nu metal band Korn. Davis was ranked 16th on Hit Parader 's list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists".-Early life:...
of Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
. Level 60 Elite Tauren Chieftain, comedian Christian Finnegan
Christian Finnegan
Fletcher Christian Finnegan , better known as Christian Finnegan, is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor based in New York City.-Early life:Finnegan was born in Albany, New York...
; and punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
performed at the closing concert. Among other gifts, attendees received a card with two special codes. One code allowed the attendee to sign up for the closed beta test of The Burning Crusade. The other allowed players to obtain Murky, the pet murloc, in-game.
BlizzCon 2007
Anaheim Convention Center
The Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. Much of the Anaheim Convention Center has been renovated in recent years with state-of-the-art facilities...
on August 3 and August 4, 2007. StarCraft II was allowed for public play, as single player or 2v2 as Terran or Protoss. Much of the game was revealed and explained as well as Q&A with attendees. The Zerg race was, however, not unveiled at that time. The second expansion to World of Warcraft, titled Wrath of the Lich King
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, often referred to as WotLK, WLK or Wrath, is the second expansion set for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, following The Burning Crusade...
, was officially announced. The event's "swag bag" included various items, including an access key to a beta test of an upcoming title (Wrath of the Lich King), a Murloc suit for use in World Of Warcraft, and starter packs for the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game
World of Warcraft Trading Card Game
The World of Warcraft Trading Card Game is a collectible card game based on Blizzard Entertainment's MMORPG, World of Warcraft. The game was announced by Upper Deck Entertainment on August 18, 2005, and released on October 25, 2006...
. Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain (who changed their name to reflect the new level cap in The Burning Crusade) and comedian Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.-Early life:Mohr was...
performed at the closing concert alongside Video Games Live
Video Games Live
Video Games Live is a concert series created and produced by industry veterans and video game composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall. The concerts consist of segments of video game music performed by a live orchestra with video footage and synchronized lighting and effects, as well as several...
.
BlizzCon 2008
On May 12, 2008 Blizzard announced the third BlizzCon to take place on October 10 and 11, 2008. Like previous years, it took place at the Anaheim Convention CenterAnaheim Convention Center
The Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. Much of the Anaheim Convention Center has been renovated in recent years with state-of-the-art facilities...
, and approximately 15,000 people attended.
In the opening ceremonies, Blizzard president Michael Morhaime
Michael Morhaime
Michael "Mike" Morhaime is the president and a co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment , a video game developer located in Irvine, California, currently owned by Activision Blizzard...
revealed the third playable class for Diablo III: the Wizard, as well as the major announcement that Starcraft II would be separated into three games.
Playable versions of Diablo III
Diablo III
Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise...
, StarCraft II, and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, often referred to as WotLK, WLK or Wrath, is the second expansion set for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, following The Burning Crusade...
were available for patrons to test for the length of the convention. As well, there were tournaments and competitions for the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, World of Warcraft miniatures game, StarCraft
StarCraft
StarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling...
, StarCraft II, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, and World of Warcraft arena. The Zerg race was now playable in the StarCraft II demos.
As a major announce, Blizzard announced in a Starcraft II conference that the game will be released as a trilogy, each release following the story of one of the three races and covering around 30 missions, but any of the copies will be enough to play the full version of the multi-player game.
For the closing ceremonies on Saturday, Blizzard CEO Paul Sams thanked everyone for coming. After that, comedians Kyle Kinane and Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Spencer Olchin in the popular sitcom The King of Queens, voicing Remy from the film Ratatouille and Thrasher from the Cartoon Network original series Robotomy.-Early life:Oswalt was born...
entertained the audience before Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain came on stage for their performance. Closing out the night was Video Games Live, playing arrangements from all of the Blizzard games, and a brand new performance including the Wrath of the Lich King music.
BlizzCon 2008 was broadcast live on both days as a PPV
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
event, for eight hours per day in high definition. Official Blizzard fansite WoW Radio broadcasted live audio via shoutcast.
BlizzCon 2009
On February 17, 2009, Blizzard announced their fourth BlizzCon, taking place again at the Anaheim Convention CenterAnaheim Convention Center
The Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. Much of the Anaheim Convention Center has been renovated in recent years with state-of-the-art facilities...
on August 21 and August 22, 2009.
In an attempt to reduce frustrations linked to lack of ticket availability for previous BlizzCons, there were to be four halls (increased from three) of space available.
Tickets went on sale on May 16 and May 30, 2009. For this batch of ticket sales, Blizzard implemented an entirely new system designed to make buying BlizzCon tickets much easier than the previous year. The new system implemented an online queue, effectively creating an organized online "line" for anyone who wants to purchase tickets, an improvement on 2008's chaotic sale of Blizzcon tickets. The ticket queue system worked much more fairly during both the May 16th and May 30 sales though many did not get tickets due to quick sales time. There were, however, a number of browser related issues that caused a number of people to be unable to purchase tickets. For many, their queue stayed at the same spot no matter how long they waited, and others noticed their queue go up, effectively keeping them at the end of the line and preventing them from purchasing tickets. Blizzard also created a new flash game "Failocallypse" to play while waiting in line.
Blizzard announced on August 11, 2009 that Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
would perform live during the 2009 BlizzCon closing ceremonies.
Television coverage
As in 2008, DIRECTVDirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
carried both days of BlizzCon 2008 as a PPV event ($39.95 for both days) for eight hours per day in both standard and high definition. Coverage started on Channel 121 and 122 HD at 2PM ET / 11AM PT on both Friday, August 21, 2009 and Saturday, August 22, 2009. All BlizzCon 2009 Pay Per View event purchasers received an exclusive "Grunty the Murloc Marine" World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
in-game pet. and had access to the online stream for no additional cost, provided they entered their DIRECTV account number into the stream site login.
Internet stream
New in 2009, BlizzCon was broadcast live via an internet stream. The site covered both days of the convention featuring exclusive interviews and commentary, main stage presentations including the opening ceremony and tournament coverage with team highlights. All purchasers ($39.95 for both days) received an exclusive "Grunty the Murloc Marine" WoW in-game pet.BlizzCon tournament coverage is hosted by GotFrag eSports and are streamed live on Blizzcon's website. Replays of these streams are available on GotFrag's website. Blizzcon brings in top e-gamers from around the globe to compete in Starcraft, Warcraft III, and World of Warcraft. The top three in each game are given cash prizes.
BlizzCon 2010
On March 25, 2010, Blizzard announced their fifth BlizzCon, taking place again at the Anaheim Convention CenterAnaheim Convention Center
The Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. Much of the Anaheim Convention Center has been renovated in recent years with state-of-the-art facilities...
on October 22 and October 23, 2010. As of 10:27AM PST on Saturday, June 5, all Blizzcon 2010 Tickets were sold out.
Photos from the convention
Similar to 2009, BlizzCon 2010 was available live via an online broadcast ("BlizzCon Virtual Ticket" on blizzcon.rayv.com) and on DIRECTV as a Pay Per View event.
The "BlizzCon Virtual Ticket" provided four live feeds from the convention floor, offering 50+ hours of HD BlizzCon programming. All purchasers also receive a BlizzCon 2010-exclusive WoW pet "Deathy" and StarCraft II in-game items.
DIRECTV again offered both days of BlizzCon 2010 as a PPV event ($39.95 USD for both days) for ten hours per day in both standard and high definition. Coverage started on Channel 121 and 122 HD at 2PM ET / 11AM PT on both Friday, October 22, 2010 and Saturday, October 23, 2010. DIRECTV purchasers will also receive "Deathy" and the StarCraft II in-game items as well as the Virtual Ticket for free.
Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...
(Jack Black
Jack Black
Jack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
/ Kyle Gass
Kyle Gass
Kyle Richard Gass , also known as KG or Kage, is an American rock musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He is a member of the bands Tenacious D and Trainwreck. In Tenacious D , Gass plays lead guitar and sings backup vocals, and also plays the role of Black's comic foil in most of their comedy...
) played at the closing ceremonies of Blizzcon 2010, Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
also performed as the drummer for the entire concert.
During the dance competition, one of the contestants dislocated his knee performing the Undead Male dance onstage.
Korean pro-gamer MVP_Genius won the StarCraft II Blizzcon Invitational, with Chinese pro-gamer LonerWE.Prime coming second.
BlizzCon 2011
The sixth BlizzCon was announced on February 7, 2011 to be held October 21–22, again at the Anaheim Convention CenterAnaheim Convention Center
The Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. Much of the Anaheim Convention Center has been renovated in recent years with state-of-the-art facilities...
. Once again, Blizzard would be hosting their own series of tournaments, one for StarCraft II
StarCraft II
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and released by Blizzard Entertainment for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. A sequel to the award-winning 1998 video game StarCraft and its expansions, the game was released worldwide on July 27, 2010...
and one for World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
. For StarCraft II, Jeong "Mvp" Jong Hyeon would secure first place, with his team mate Lim "NesTea" Jae Duk taking second and Yang "Sen" Chia Cheng taking third place.
It was announced on July 12, 2011 by GOMtv.net that the GOMTV Global Starcraft II League
GOMTV Global Starcraft II League
GOMTV Global Starcraft II League is a StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty tournament hosted by GomTV and Blizzard Entertainment in South Korea. There is an English stream available for non-Korean viewers. The tournament features two leagues, Code S and Code A...
October final match will take place in Anaheim alongside BlizzCon. Moon "MMA" Sung Won and Jeong "Mvp" Jong Hyeon would head over to Anaheim to participate due to their success back in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. MMA would eventually beat Mvp, 4-1. GomTV would later release a mini documentary featuring the Korean player's experiences at Blizzcon. Video.
The closing ceremony had a performance by Blizzard's own in house band, The Artist Formerly Known as Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftains (TAFKL80ETC), who changed their name mid concert to Level 90 Elite Tauren Chieftains (L90ETC). Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
performed afterward.
It was announced on October 18th that four Brood War pro gamers, Bisu, Jaedong, Jangbi and Fantasy, would be going to Blizzcon for exhibition matches. It was unknown as to whether or not they will be promoting Brood War, StarCraft II, or both, however, it was later revealed that they had no scheduled matches.
The opening ceremony showcased a new Diablo III
Diablo III
Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise...
cinematic trailer titled "The Black Soulstone", a StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is an upcoming sequel and expansion pack to the military science-fiction real-time strategy game StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and part two of the planned StarCraft II trilogy...
reveal trailer showcasing new units and abilities, a "Blizzard DOTA" trailer for a Custom Game made for StarCraft II
StarCraft II
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and released by Blizzard Entertainment for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. A sequel to the award-winning 1998 video game StarCraft and its expansions, the game was released worldwide on July 27, 2010...
and the reveal of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is the fourth World of Warcraft expansion pack. It was announced on October 21, 2011 by Chris Metzen at BlizzCon 2011.-Overview:...
, a new expansion for World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
.