A leaker on Twitter with decent reputation for accuracy is sharing some potentially hype announcements for this year’s BlizzCon, the annual celebration for everything Blizzard. Adding a little more meat to these rumors is Blizzard’s need for a shift in the current social media conversation around their policies on international relations, which has grown in scope to include bipartisan members of the United States Congress.
Twitter user @Metro_OW, who claims to have a source at Blizzard, previously leaked some early information about last year’s Ashe hero reveal for Overwatch at BlizzCon 2018. For this year’s BlizzCon, the leaks suggest that Blizzard will debut the next era of their popular and colorful team-based FPS with Overwatch 2. Overwatch 2 is rumored to expand the title with the addition of PvE elements and live alongside the current Overwatch and its esports scene instead of replace it. Presumably PvE Overwatch title would satisfy fans of the limited PvE events in the current game while avoiding the potential for player fatigue that comes from repetition.
According to this new rumor, familiar Overwatch characters Mei and Genji will appear in a short cinematic that closes with the Overwatch logo, then the number “2” after a theatrical delay. Some rumored changes include an upgradeable Pulse Bomb for Tracer that sticks to multiple units and character leveling system, something that definitely distinguishes the possible sequel from the current game’s character uniformity. Metro wasn’t able to clarify if these character customizations would be a PvP or PvE only mechanic or how a leveling system would work with the game’s overall balance.
Leaked information on a possible sequel for 2016’s Overwatch aren’t new. Kotaku also recently reported that an internal decision to focus on Overwatch 2 was factor in Blizzard’s decision to scrap some other projects. Kotaku reported that their Blizzard sources compared the new iteration of Overwatch to Valve’s co-op action horror game Left 4 Dead and also stated that the sequel would have a new PvE focus.
Metro also tweeted that Blizzard is planning to finally announce not only the next installment of their Diablo series, they will also reveal development of a Diablo II remaster for modern hardware. For fans of the dungeon-diver Diablo series last year’s BlizzCon was bit of a bust, with the only Diablo announcement being a mobile title dubbed Diablo: Immortal. The deflating announcement drew palpable displeasure from the crowd who were already on edge after the rocky beginnings of 2012’s Diablo III.
Kotaku also reported on Diablo IV, which is codenamed “Fenris” at Blizzard’s Team 3 development studio. According to the report, Diablo IV has been in development since 2016 and the team is embracing a dark and “gross” design direction, backing away from what was “considered cartoony” in the art style of Diablo III to create “what people were afraid of in Diablo II, but modern.”
A Diablo II remaster would likely be done in the same style as Blizzard’s recent re-release of Warcraft III, last year’s Warcraft III: Reforged or 2017’s Starcraft: Remastered. Diablo II released for PC in 2000 and has an iconic and influential visual style that hopefully is retained in a remake or remaster of the original game to keep the special “feel” alive for new and returning players. Maybe the dark and gross style rumored for Diablo IV will make great crossover assets for an updated Diablo II Remaster.
Again, if these rumors are true they couldn’t come at a better time for Blizzard. Big and exciting (and fan-pleasing) announcements could go a fair way in helping the company repair their currently damaged relationship with players, and it will also help favorably position Blizzard in the upcoming years against Riot’s bombardment of announcements for their 10-year League of Legends anniversary, many of which will directly challenge Blizzard IPs for market space.
BlizzCon is scheduled to start on November 1st at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.