Instead of a traditional BlizzCon announcement, Blizzard Entertainment is staging a streaming event to mark the 30-year journey of the Warcraft series.
The stream will encompass all aspects of the Warcraft universe, spanning from World of Warcraft to Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, and even the series’ original title: Warcraft: Orcs and Humans. Expect a reflection on Warcraft’s legacy, discussions about its future through the Worldsoul Saga, and possible unexpected reveals. Here’s what you need to know to tune in.
When is the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct?
The 30th anniversary event is set to begin at 10 a.m. PT on Wednesday, November 13. Although session length hasn’t been confirmed, it will be succeeded by a concert titled “World of Warcraft: 20 Years of Music,” featuring an orchestra and several choirs.
How to watch the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct
You can catch the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct on Blizzard’s official channels, including Twitch and YouTube. Additionally, this year’s streaming will extend to TikTok. For fans of the games, there will be opportunities to watch within Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, and World of Warcraft to earn in-game rewards, with more details about these rewards to come later.
What to expect from the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct
The anniversary stream will delve into the rich history spanning 30 years of Warcraft, starting with Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, a groundbreaking real-time strategy game that featured multiplayer when it launched on November 15, 1994. The launch of World of Warcraft on November 23, 2004, propelled the franchise into mainstream awareness and marked a pivotal moment in gaming history. The event will host developers from various points in the series’ evolution to reflect on its milestones over three decades.
Blizzard also plans to discuss the future, building on the Worldsoul Saga announced in 2023, which introduces a primary storyline to be split across three expansions. The first installment, The War Within, released on August 26 of this year, with the upcoming expansions, Midnight and The Last Titan, set to conclude the saga by 2030. According to Blizzard, “With the Worldsoul Saga, the World of Warcraft team aims to usher in a new era of gameplay and storytelling, featuring narratives that span multiple expansions and inviting players to witness the culmination of 20 years of adventures as they advance into the next two decades.”
Audiences can anticipate a few surprises as well. “You won’t want to miss a second—or a single surprise,” according to a blog post.
This event is taking place in lieu of BlizzCon 2024, which Blizzard decided not to host this year but indicated plans for future events. Instead, the company has been showcasing its franchise announcements and events separately throughout the year.
