Blizzard has decided to put a “pause” on all BlizzCon plans, meaning that BlizzConline 2022 has been canceled as the company figures out what to do next. In a message, Blizzard wrote that it’s rethinking BlizzCon as a whole, and will strive for future events to feel “safe, welcoming, and inclusive as possible.” The announcement comes months after the company canceled BlizzCon for this year, citing concerns over the ongoing pandemic.
The “safe” and “welcoming” line, however, does strike a different tone. Blizzard’s decision to cancel the event was likely more driven by the harassment lawsuit filed against Activision Blizzard. During the investigation, it was discovered that some Blizzard higher ups were allegedly involved with a hotel room dubbed the “Cosby Suite” during BlizzCon 2013. The fallout resulted in the departure of several key staff members, including Jesse McCree, whom the cowboy hero of Overwatch was named after. Recently, Blizzard changed the hero’s name to Cole Cassidy.
In the message today, Blizzard writes that it’s “reimagining” the event. The company didn’t elaborate much beyond the desire to make BlizzCon better for guests. In fact, the message may even suggest that we won’t see another BlizzCon for some time.
“We’re committed to continual communication with our players, and we see BlizzCon playing a big role in that going forward,” Blizzard wrote in the message. “We’re excited about what we’ll do with the event when we revisit it in the future.”
BlizzConline 2022 canceled, but not the announcements
Continuing in the message, Blizzard writes that it will still release announcements and updates as planned.
“We’re proud of our teams and the progress they’ve made across our games,” the company explained. “We have a lot of exciting upcoming news and releases to share with you. You’ll continue hearing about those through our franchise channels, with the talented people on the BlizzCon team playing a part in supporting these efforts.”
