The past few years haven’t been kind to the once-popular BlizzCon, with their 2020 and 2021 events having to be canceled as well due to complications with the Covid-19 pandemic. The trend continues this year, ss the fallout from the California Lawsuit continues to affect the company. Blizzard announced the cancellation of the event on October 26th, through a letter on their site.
In the letter (pictured above), the company explains how BlizzCon takes the energy and effort of everyone at the company, energy that they feel should be put towards their games at the moment. This is of no surprise, as Blizzard has continued to wipe their games of outdated and potentially offensive content in the months following the harassment suit. The company additionally shares its plans to “reimagine” the convention moving forward in order to make it safer and more inclusive.
The company finishes the letter off by specifying that although they will not be holding their typical February convention, announcements and updates for games should still be coming out around that time. They tease upcoming news and releases before closing the letter promising fans they would “be back together soon.”
Although the company’s transparency since their Summer suits is to be applauded, many fans remain critical of the company, even now. Many took to Twitter following the recent news to remark on their distaste.
Feb 2022 BlizzConline has been cancelled.
Shame, I was looking forward to the “we’ll do better” apologies, while they simultaneously continue to not acknowledge employee demands and attempt to stall out any legal process being taken against them. 🙃🙃🙃https://t.co/gIO0HPQvpW
— Stylosa (@Stylosa) October 26, 2021
It is of no surprise that the company’s popularity would be in the gutter, as a series of bad decisions dating back to the Heartstone Controversy of 2019 has led to a growing distance between the company and its fanbase.
As of now, only time will tell if the company will make like a phoenix, or remain as ashes of what once was.