Blizzard cancels this year's BlizzCon, online event likely early next year Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Blizzard cancels this year's BlizzCon, online event likely early next year Is "deeply disappointed about this decision". News by Matt Wales Reporter Updated on 26 May 2020 12 comments Blizzard has officially cancelled this year's BlizzCon live event, citing "health and safety considerations" relating to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. BlizzCon executive producer Saralyn Smith had initially highlighted the uncertainties surrounding this year's show in a blog post written last month, explaining that Blizzard was "considering a range of scenarios and possibilities", but that "it might be a few months before we know for certain if or how we'll proceed". In a follow-up post earlier today, however, Smith announced, rather sooner than expected, that Blizzard had taken the "very difficult decision" to cancel this year's BlizzCon. "We've had many discussions about what holding a convention could look like in light of all the health and safety considerations we'd want to make," Smith noted, "We've also talked about different paths we could take, and how each one could be complicated by fluctuations in national and local health guidelines in the months ahead." Watch on YouTube While Smith said Blizzard was "feeling deeply disappointed about [the decision to cancel BlizzCon]", she noted the team was currently discussing how it might "channel the BlizzCon spirit and connect with [the community] in some way online, far less impacted by the state of health and safety protocols for mass in-person gatherings. " However, due to it being "new-ish territory and the different factors involved", Smith says an online event will most likely take place "sometime early next year." Additionally, Blizzard is currently investigating alternative avenues for "supporting some of the high-level [eSports] competition that would normally take place at the show." Hopes were, of course, high that BlizzCon 2020 might mark a return to form for a show that suffered a disastrous 2018, and only half righted the boat in 2019, when promising announcements for eagerly awaited games including Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 were rather offset by Blizzard CEO J. Allen Brack's limp non-apology regarding the controversial suspension of Hearthstone player Chung "Blitzchung" Ng Wai. Blizzard says it will share more details on its next BlizzCon steps "as they develop". Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store