The next edition of BlizzCon 2026 It's shaping up to be one of the most talked-about events on the video game calendar. Various reports and leaks indicate that Blizzard is saving a barrage of major announcements for September, with a particular focus on one of its most renowned franchises: StarCraft.
According to several sources close to the company, the event would serve as a showcase for to present new projects and expansions of its major franchises, but the main focus would fall on a title that would mark a turning point for Blizzard's science fiction universe: a third person shooter set in StarCraft, it aspires to be the star announcement of the convention.
A StarCraft shooter as the main attraction at BlizzCon 2026
Rumors published by specialized media such as Windows Central point to The main attraction of BlizzCon 2026 will be a new StarCraft action gameIt would be a third-person shooter, a significant departure from the real-time strategy format that made the franchise famous in the late 90s and early 2000s.
This project didn't come out of nowhere. It was already being discussed in 2024. an internal development that would move StarCraft into the realm of shooting gamesThis information, which journalist Jez Corden claims to have verified with his own sources, paints a picture of Blizzard using BlizzCon to finally confirm the return of the saga with a different approach.
One of the key factors that lends more credibility to these reports is that the game It had already been mentioned in the book “Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment”From journalist Jason Schreier. That article suggested that the company was working on an action title based on StarCraft, a detail that perfectly matches what is now expected to be seen at the convention.
In any case, until Blizzard makes an official announcement, all that is known are partial details and a few clues. There is talk of a project designed to occupy a central place in the company's strategy and a premiere relevant enough to sustain much of the anticipation surrounding BlizzCon 2026.
Dan Hay at the helm and possible open-world elements
One of the most talked-about aspects of this new StarCraft is who is directing it. Various reports agree that Dan Hay, former head of the Far Cry series at UbisoftHe would be leading the development. His name appears both in Schreier's book and in subsequent reports, suggesting that the project has been in development within Blizzard for some time.
Hay's career path is significant: he has played a prominent role in Far Cry 3, Far Cry 4 and Far Cry 5Games known for their large maps, enemy bases scattered across the landscape, and a blend of action, exploration, and character progression. All of this suggests that the new StarCraft game could opting for broad scenarios and a certain degree of freedom to address the objectivesalthough the scale of the project has not yet been finalized.
Related to this, one of the clearest indications about the title's orientation was a Job offer published in 2024In the article, Blizzard was looking for staff to work on an open-world shooter related to the franchise. This detail reinforces the idea that the studio wants to go beyond a linear campaign and experiment with exploration mechanics, resource gathering, and environment management, taking advantage of the galactic backdrop of the saga.
It is not yet clear whether the game will prioritize one narrative experience for one player It's unclear whether it will place greater emphasis on cooperative and competitive modes, something especially relevant for a brand with such a long history in online gaming. It also hasn't been publicly confirmed whether the project will focus solely on third-person perspective or explore other approaches, although reports agree that the core concept departs entirely from the classic strategy approach.
What does seem clear is that Blizzard sees this development as a opportunity to relaunch StarCraft to a wider audienceMaintaining the setting and conflicts between Terran, Zerg, and Protoss, but moving the action to a much more accessible format for those who feel more comfortable with shooters than with traditional RTS games.
StarCraft's troubled history in the shooter genre
This new attempt to bring StarCraft to real-time action isn't happening in a vacuum. The company has already tried its hand at this, with less than successful results. StarCraft: Ghost, probably the best-known example, was announced in the early 2000s as an action game centered on a "Ghost" agent and set after the events of the Brood War expansion.
The project generated a lot of excitement at the time, but It was plagued by delays, changes in direction, and production problems.Although it had practically disappeared from the radar for years, it wasn't until 2014 that the then president of Blizzard, Mike MorhaimeHe publicly acknowledged that the game was officially cancelled.
It wasn't the only case. Years later, another action project based on the same franchise, known internally as StarCraft: AresIt, too, was eventually scrapped. This title reportedly spent around two years in development before Blizzard decided to shut it down in 2019, reinforcing the feeling that the company was struggling to find the right formula for a shooter in this universe.
Given this background, there is a certain [fear/sentiment] among the saga's followers. reasonable skepticism Whether this new attempt will finally reach stores or if it will once again fall short remains to be seen. Even so, Blizzard's current situation is very different, with its structure reorganized after the Microsoft acquisition and greater pressure to... reactivate historical licenses that have been without significant news for years.
That's precisely why the announcement at BlizzCon 2026 is interpreted as a kind of litmus test: if the shooter is officially unveiled to the public and accompanied by a clear roadmapThis could be a sign that the study is willing to go all the way, unlike previous attempts that fell by the wayside.
A context marked by years of silence in the saga
To understand the potential impact of this announcement, it's important to keep in mind that StarCraft has gone more than a decade without a completely new major release.The last major installment, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, arrived in 2010, followed by its expansions Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void, which were released in 2013 and 2015, respectively.
Subsequent support dwindled over time, until the last significant campaign content was launched in 2016. In 2017, it appeared StarCraft: Remastered, an update of the original game with visual and quality of life improvements, but without representing a new creative stage within the franchise.
In practice, the StarCraft universe has remained alive through crossovers and occasional appearances in other Blizzard gamesDiablo IV has received skins inspired by the saga, Hearthstone had a set of themed cards, and over the years there have been novels, board games and other products that have helped the brand not to disappear completely from the collective imagination.
The purchase of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft in 2022 This added another layer to the situation. Since then, many gamers have looked to Xbox hoping for a clear plan to bring back some of the most beloved franchises in its catalog. In that context, a StarCraft reimagined as a shooter It fits with the idea of diversifying the type of experiences based on the same intellectual properties.
If the predictions come true and the new title is presented on the main stage of BlizzCon 2026, we would not only be witnessing the return of one of the most influential science fiction sagas on PC, but also... a significant strategic move within the Microsoft studios catalog, with potential impact on both PC and console.
Diablo IV, World of Warcraft, and other announcements planned for the event
Although the potential StarCraft shooter will grab most of the headlines, available reports indicate that BlizzCon 2026 will also serve to update the content calendar for other veteran franchises of the houseAmong the recurring mentions are Diablo IV, World of Warcraft, Overwatch 2, and Hearthstone.
In the case of Diablo IVThere is talk of a new expansion that would be announced just a few months after the launch of Lord of Hatred, scheduled for April. This would reinforce the idea that Blizzard wants maintain a steady stream of major updates for its ARPG, combining regular seasons with larger content packs.
To World of WarcraftRumors suggest that the convention will be the chosen venue to teach in more depth The Last TitanThe next expansion for their long-running MMORPG is expected to be offered during the event. New details on story, playable areas, and systemsThis is especially relevant for a community that remains very active in both official and classic servers in Europe and Spain.
Jez Corden and other insiders also assume there will be room for Overwatch 2 y Hearthstonealthough in these cases it would, in principle, be a matter of ads focused on additional content and system updates rather than entirely new projects. In the hero shooter genre, there's also the possibility of some discussion about... mobile spin-offs linked to Overwatch and the WoW license itselfAlthough for now that part is more in the realm of rumor than reliable confirmation.
All these new features would make BlizzCon 2026 a highly anticipated event not only for those who closely follow Blizzard's daily operations, but also for European players who regularly consume these titles and they usually mark key announcement dates on the calendar to plan their playtime, follow the competitive scene, or simply stay up to date on the future of their favorite sagas.
Dates, event format and international presence
Reports place the start of BlizzCon 2026 in the weekend of September 12This marks the beginning of the main activities of the community event. This aligns with the tradition of holding the convention in the second half of the year, although the schedule has been more irregular in recent times.
BlizzCon, which was once a major trade show practically annual frequencyIn recent years, the convention has alternated between physical editions, digital formats, and periods of absence. In fact, the convention did not take place in 2025 despite coinciding with the event's 20th anniversary, a detail that generated some disappointment among a large part of the international community.
Blizzard itself committed to recover the format with more force in the next installment, something that is now reflected in the company's stated intention to "significantly elevate" BlizzCon's legacy in this new phase. Although not many official details have been given, the general expectation is that the event will combine physical presence and online broadcasts so that players from all over the world, including those from Spain and the rest of Europe, can follow the conferences and presentations live.
The location of advertisements and subsequent marketing campaigns usually has a significant component in European territorieswith the presence of content creators, casters, and esports organizations from the region. Looking ahead to 2026, it's reasonable to expect Blizzard to strengthen communication in several languages, including Spanish, especially if the new StarCraft and the expansions for Diablo IV and WoW aim to solidify its player base on PC and consoles both in Europe and globally.
Although some logistical details—such as the exact structure of the conferences, thematic panels, or the organization of in-person tournaments—have not yet been clarified, reports suggest that The September meeting will be a key meeting point both for local communities and for the international competitive scene linked to Blizzard games.
With everything leaked and discussed so far, BlizzCon 2026 is shaping up to be an edition especially packed with relevant contentThe possible announcement of a StarCraft shooter led by Dan Hay, new expansions for Diablo IV and World of Warcraft, updates for Overwatch 2 and Hearthstone, and a clear intention to recapture the event's historical significance after years of ups and downs. If the plans hold and the presentations live up to the reports, the convention could mark a turning point in how Blizzard manages its major franchises for years to come.