An on-site BlizzCon 2021 will not be happening, as executive producer of the event, Saralyn Smith, announced through their official website. The cancellation of BlizzCon 2021 is attributed to both the ever evolving guidelines around gatherings, as well as the fluctuating status of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the event is put together not just by the Blizzard team, but also with production partners, entertainers and more from both local and international regions, the various complexities have disrupted the months of planning and preparation they would have had for it.
Ever since the first event in 2005, BlizzCon has typically been held in November in California, where Blizzard’s HQ is situated. For now, the team is planning for a global event early 2022, which will be combining an online show much like BlizzConline, alongside smaller in-person gatherings. Further details will be provided as plans are finalized.
BlizzConline in February 2021 saw various announcements much like a typical BlizzCon event over the two day online-only event. Many upcoming conventions, like E3, gamescom, Tokyo Game Show, have also made the move to online due to the ongoing pandemic. Events like Busan Indie Connect have adopted cloud gaming systems to replicate the on-site game testing, which we are likely to see more of moving forward.