ANAHEIM, Calif.—Blizzard's BlizzCon 2023, now a Microsoft entity, cast a World of Warcraft-style resurrection spell on its annual convention this weekend. Cosplay champions, eSports enthusiasts, and Mountain Dew-fueled fans of Blizzard's various (albeit shrunken) list of franchises all descended on California's Anaheim Convention Center for the company's latest news, creative experiences, and swag giveaways.
However, there's more to Blizzard's (theoretically) annual convention than the song-and-dance announcements, deep dives, and campfire chats you'll find on its main stage. We spent two days roaming the convention floor—drinking free Mountain Dew and standing in lines like everyone else. Here's a look at what it was like to attend BlizzCon 2023 and plenty of tips you can use to have a great time at BlizzCon 2024 and beyond.
The Opening Ceremony Is Fun, But…
(Credit: David Murphy)For this year's BlizzCon, the company opted to move all of its major announcements and panels to a single location: the convention center's eastern arena, where you'd previously find its major esports tournaments being played in the round. Blizzard's decision to build a proscenium stage meant that in-person attendance, which would already max out at thousands of fewer attendees than the convention center's former keynote site, Hall D, would be smaller still.
Rather than going with a "first come, first served" approach, which would only encourage fervent fans to camp out in line at unpleasant times, Blizzard opted all attendees into a randomized lottery. It was a complete mess, with partners, groups, and guilds alike getting split up as a result, leading some to abandon their in-person viewing plans entirely and opt instead to watch a stream of the opening ceremony from a different BlizzCon hall. A standby line existed to fill these empty spots in the arena, but you needed to line up quite early to have a shot.
(Credit: David Murphy)The line to enter the convention itself, and even make it to the standby line, stretched for blocks around Anaheim, winding its way through residential areas within the city. And that was just for general admission attendees. Those purchasing Blizzard's "Portal Pass," which cost $800 (or $500 over the general admission ticket) were set up with a separate, shorter entrance and earlier admission to an exclusive area on the convention's third floor. However, I read plenty of reports across X, Discord, and Facebook from attendees who were unknowingly directed to the primary, huge line to get in, only to learn about their separate, shorter entrance later on.
Incredible Theming, But Less to Do
(Credit: David Murphy)I've been a Diablo stan for decades, and am happy to report that Blizzard's transformation of the sprawling Hall A into a brooding, spooky nightmare was a demonic delight. You could get your picture with a huge replication of the archangel Inarius' glowing wings; get sacrificed by a trio of cultists; and even get a free, real-life tattoo featuring designs from the Diablo universe. Sprawling cathedral constructions added to the gothic atmosphere and provided a fun backdrop for lounging around to watch streamed presentations. A gigantic Tree of Whispers—severed heads hanging from its limbs—was the black icing on the cake.
Said "Hell's Ink" tattoos, one of the most popular offerings at the convention given how quickly they sold out, were also mired in a bit of controversy.
(Credit: David Murphy)Blizzard had noted these tattoos were "first-come, first-serve." In person, this meant that only 40 people could be tattooed each day. But rather than let those who were too late to score an appointment on Friday try their luck on Saturday, Blizzard filled the entire convention's worth of tattoo appointments for those lucky enough to be at the front of the Friday morning line. In other words, if you were coming into town on Saturday, you already lost.
(Credit: David Murphy)Elsewhere, Blizzard's sprawling setup for World of Warcraft was a mix of huge panels rotating the latest trailers, a giant recreation of "that sword," and large demo areas for both World of Warcraft and World of Warcraft Classic.
The Hearthstone tavern also found a home in the World of Warcraft hall, directly opposite a more cutesy-themed area for Blizzard's latest mobile title, Warcraft Rumble (for Android and iOS).
(Credit: David Murphy)I was wondering why I saw a bunch of people walking around with copper-looking plastic mugs, only to later learn that was the collectible part of the non-alcoholic drink you could purchase from the tavern itself. I didn't get a chance to partake, and the mugs themselves only appeared to last a day before the tavern switched to plastic, but I likely could have downed quite a few while waiting in line for a poster and World of Warcraft developer signing.
(Credit: David Murphy)The developer meet-and-greets were one of the more popular parts of the hall, but not quite as sought after as the Secret Lab booth, which had feeding frenzy-like levels of interest for an exclusive, purple Murloc lumbar support pillow.
Unlike years' past, when it occupied a separate space entirely, Blizzard attached its super-popular Darkmoon Faire area to the World of Warcraft hall. This proved to be a complete disaster on the second day of the convention, as lines quickly became unwieldy for each of the area's offerings: pin purchasing, coin purchasing, a gacha game you used the coins to play (yes, a separate line); randomized stuffed animal "adoptions," and pin/patch trading.
(Credit: David Murphy)Soon after BlizzCon opened for the day—around a half an hour earlier than printed times—lines for the Darkmoon Faire stretched across the entire hall and into the neighboring Overwatch hall, and the area was eventually closed down and the lines heavily managed due to capacity.
(Credit: David Murphy)Blizzard split its Overwatch 2 experiences across two separate halls: one featured a huge array of Xboxes and gaming PCs for demoing for the newly announced Mauga character. Otherwise, the hall's offerings felt the most sparse of the four. Its neighboring hall was the home for the final rounds of the Overwatch World Cup esports tournament, which was previously held in the aforementioned BlizzCon arena.
(Credit: David Murphy)The environment felt murkier and more cramped to me, featuring chairs and bleacher seats instead of endless rows of stadium seating. Still, the energy in the air was palpable, and plenty of BlizzCon attendees filled the hall's various spillover viewing areas—and live caster areas.
BlizzCon 2023 occupied less space than previous years of the convention, but the halls didn't feel tight, just sparse. There wasn't really a theatrical presentation put into events like the World of Warcraft guild clashes, which had plenty of people watching the projected streams and cheering along. In years' past, these kinds of events—including Hearthstone matches and such—would be the big draws for their respective halls.
(c)For gaming, there were plenty of beefy World of Warcraft demos to play, and an abundance of Overwatch 2 stations, but absolutely nothing for Diablo IV. Watching in-person streamers stomp Uber Lilith with their ball-lighting sorceresses was fine, but it wasn't anything you couldn't otherwise tune into any day of the week on Twitch. A BlizzCon-themed challenge or race for the streamers to partake in, or even BlizzCon attendees, could have helped flesh out Blizzard's offerings. And the demo area for Warcraft Rumble, a mobile game that I caught numerous people playing while waiting in line, felt ill-thought. Why demo that which you already have in your pocket?
(Warcraft Rumble)This sparseness was only exacerbated by the dramatic pullback of in-person events for this year's BlizzCon. There were no supplemental panels from Blizzard artists, animators, or writers; no free-form chats with developers or engineers beyond Blizzard's carefully polished presentations; and—critically absent—no voice actor panel. The latter can be forgiven if it was cut due to ongoing negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios, but its absence was felt. Having more ways to plop crowds down into other portions of the convention for an hour or more could have helped relax some of the sprawling lines for BlizzCon's other experiences.
Centering the Community
(Credit: David Murphy)BlizzCon, like any experience, is yours to make as much of or as little of as possible. If all you want to do is watch keynote panels, you can do that. If you just want to relax, take a nap on a Diablo-themed Lovesac, and watch your favorite guilds battle it out over the course of a day, you can do that, too. If you want to drink 48 free samples of Mountain Dew—absolutely a possibility at this year's BlizzCon, with four different flavors being handed out like Halloween candy—you can.
(Credit: David Murphy)For many, though, BlizzCon is just a reason for gathering; the experiences they build on top of that are the priceless moments that make the convention go above and beyond expectations. And there are so many supplemental things to do around the main BlizzCon experience, it's hard to keep track. (Kudos to Kenny Yun, who curated many of them into one giant spreadsheet this year.)
(Credit: David Murphy)Your offerings may feel smaller, like setting up a little area for pin and merchandise trading or giving out a custom, homebrew quest for people to play as they wander the 'con, and that's fine. You don't have to be the leader of a guild to still have fun in the raid, as it were. Heck, plenty of people—from fans all the way up to Blizzard CEO Mike Ybarra—spent countless hours before the convention crafting Blizzard-themed Taylor Swift friendship bracelets to trade and give away.
(Credit: David Murphy)Then there are the BlizzCon meetups, official or otherwise, where an everyday player can find themselves having an hour-long conversation with the developers behind their very favorite games. Unlike traditional tech events, where you'd be hard-pressed to see someone like Tim Cook bellying up to the bar, I think the appeal of being able to have that face-to-face interaction with people like World of Warcraft lead game designer Ion Hazzikostas, Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson, or Vice President and Executive Producer Holly Longdale—who I personally bumped into—can make BlizzCon feel less stuffy than other "celebrities do a panel and get whisked away" kinds of geeky events.
(Credit: David Murphy)I'm not huge into streamer culture (save for Jedith and his incredibly helpful Demon Hunter advice), but plenty of others are, as I had to walk through crowds of people at BlizzCon standing around watching their streamers and influencers game. And I saw just about as many people posting meet-and-greets with streamers and influencers—formal or otherwise—all around social media. I read from fans and streamers alike that this was the most refreshing, inspiring part of their trips to BlizzCon, more than any game announcement.
(Credit: David Murphy)And, of course, BlizzCon brings out the cosplay. As always, there were incredibly detailed, funny, and otherwise unique costumes being put on display this year—two Liliths, in fact, the main antagonist from Diablo IV that was superbly cosplayed by both an invited Blizzard guest and the eventual Best-in-Show winner at Saturday's Community Night. Just walking around the entrance area to the main convention halls was its own fun, as cosplayers would frequently be milling about, surrounded by eager enthusiasts with smartphone cameras at the ready. It makes one want to learn how to shape foam.
Next Up: BlizzCon 2024?
(Credit: David Murphy)It's my understanding that a number of key players involved with previous BlizzCons—some across years—are no longer with the company. It's possible this was a primary factor behind so many hiccups at this year's convention. That, or it's simply a rebuilding year for BlizzCon and the company is taking baby steps instead of large leaps, given everything else Blizzard has juggled over the past year or two.
There's a lot Blizzard needs to work on for BlizzCon to once again feel like it embodies the "commitment to quality" that the company espouses. There's no question that the convention represents a great gathering ground for the community, but it's starting to become a costly proposition at $300 for a general ticket. Those upgrading to an $800 Portal Pass ticket didn't appear to enjoy the same kind of value they would have experienced in years' past: exclusive entrances; preshow purchasing; an extra, exclusive convention evening; preferred parking; and, generally, more access.
(Credit: David Murphy)A scaled-back schedule, inconsistent communication, and logistically challenging lines for fan-favorite experiences were bitter pills at this year's BlizzCon. A convention should feel like a special event, full of things to do and stuff to purchase that you normally couldn't anywhere else, with an extra-special focus paid to your comfort, joy, and expectations if you're shelling out 53 months' worth of World of Warcraft time for a ticket. And the lines, oof. You shouldn't expect to be able to do or buy everything at a geeky convention of this magnitude, but you also shouldn't have to wait nearly 45 minutes to get your hands on a dime-sized temporary tattoo.
(Credit: David Murphy)That said, this all doesn't matter as much for those who prioritize friendships, parties, guild meetups, and hangouts over experiences, merchandise, and announcements. I've seen and heard many of these BlizzCon attendees express how the convention felt like a real turnaround—if for nothing else than it brought together different facets of a larger community after a multi-year hiatus. To them, being able to meet up with friends, have real-life conversations with people they might have only previously known online, and hang out with some of their favorite sources of geeky inspiration (and Diablo IV talent builds) was more than enough.
(Credit: David Murphy)And that's the ultimate twist of BlizzCon—and any convention, really. It's as much fun as you're willing to make of it. And I would argue that even regular attendees should be prepared to put in a little work to ensure that they're maximizing their time spent and getting in front of as much "exclusive" stuff as they can. If you just show up, day of, and bounce around without a game plan, you're not going to have as great an experience, nor will you be able to overcome some of the challenges the day's more disorganized moments can bring.
To that, here are some of the tricks I've used to make the most of my many BlizzCons:
1. Think Outside the Box on Planning
(Credit: David Murphy)The best tip for planning out a trip to BlizzCon is to pretend like it's a miniature San Diego Comic-Con. In other words, it's never too early to start.
Blizzard announced its official dates for BlizzCon in May, and you had a short window to scramble for hotels before prices skyrocketed. While my tired feet and body, and desire to socialize, made me wish I stayed in the Marriott or Hilton hotels neighboring the Convention Center, any of the walkable hotels in Anaheim would have been fine, too.
Once I knew I was going to the convention, I used a spreadsheet to start mapping out a battle plan for accommodations. What won out in the end was a hotel that was a mere seven-minute drive away (one turn, then a straight-shot right into the heart of the convention center area), which cost half as much as everything else, even when factoring in the convention's $20 daily parking fee. Oh, and breakfast was free: essential if you're about to do quite a bit of line waiting just to get into the convention.
(Credit: David Murphy)My advice? If you know you want to go to BlizzCon, and there are nearby hotels with generous cancellation policies, book one or two weekends' worth of rooms as soon as you can. Blizzard tends to plan its convention for the first full weekend of November nowadays, and BlizzCon is always on a Friday and Saturday, with the potential for some kind of early event on Thursday night (depending on the year and the kind of pass you purchase). Get a room before the company even announces the dates, and you can get better (or closer) accommodations for less.
2. Buy Your Goodies Before the 'Con
(Credit: David Murphy)Blizzard usually throws up a generous stash of BlizzCon-"exclusive" stuff you can purchase on its Gear Store before the convention even hits. At least, that's how I was able to get Diablo IV dice and a "limited-edition" Lilith pin shipped right to my house—items I would have otherwise had to wait in sprawling lines to acquire in-person. Additionally, those attending the convention can partake in the Blink Store. Anything you order there, which will be updated with new items all the way through the convention, is available for pickup on-site at BlizzCon.
The best thing you can do is to make your purchases early and have them shipped to you. And if you're looking for more exclusive in-person items or items that are likely to sell out quickly, like a stuffed Alexstrasza dragon, you'll want to check the Blink Store regularly in the days and weeks leading up to the convention.
(Credit: David Murphy)When you go to select your pickup date at the convention, I can't stress this enough: Try to do it on the Thursday before BlizzCon officially starts, when fewer people are around (as all they can do is pick up their badges). Otherwise, you may find yourself wasting time in a boring line that's over an hour long just to pick up merchandise you previously ordered. That's precious show-floor time you're just giving up.
3. Absolutely Tap Into the Community
(Credit: David Murphy)Beyond all the third-part events and fan-driven meetup groups, the BlizzCon community is absolutely essential to helping you make the most of your time and money during the frantic weekend. And you'll find them all around the web: Reddit, Discord, Facebook (times many, many groups). It's great to get the latest news about what's happening at BlizzCon directly from people around different parts of convention, whether that's hearing about lines that are suddenly longer (or shorter) than expected, learning where to find exclusive merchandise and giveaways, or making plans to meet people who may have some Blizzard gear for trade or buy.
It was the community, not Blizzard, where I learned exactly where I had to stand in line (and how early doors opened) for the BlizzCon opening ceremony, and I saw countless updates from others helping Portal Pass fans understand they had a much shorter, unannounced line they could use. Discord updates helped me figure out the best times to queue for different experiences on the convention floor, and I was able to check in on lines for pain points—like the Blink Store—without having to walk all the way over to see for myself.
(Credit: David Murphy)The various online gathering grounds I followed throughout the weekend, and before, were a great source for organized parties and meetups, and they even helped me score a coveted Mak'gora pin by challenging a Blizzard employee to rock-paper-scissors. I would have never heard about that otherwise, although I'm a little bummed I didn't get a chance to get my hands on a Fresh Meat pin.
Not only did the various communities help me kill time by chatting with people and reading updates while standing in line for different experiences, but they helped me score a few exclusive items after the fact that I otherwise didn't have time to wait around for at the Darkmoon Faire. I even saw people recover lost bags and other items by posting to one of the major BlizzCon Facebook groups, where they were able to then sync up with the Blizzard fans who found them.
4. Research a Game Plan
(Credit: David Murphy)You can't always predict what Blizzard is going to announce at BlizzCon, but seasoned con-goers can usually get a sense of how to best prioritize their days based on what the convention will offer. If you've never been to BlizzCon, talk to some of them before you go to get a sense of what's really reasonable to do and how you can, or should, maximize your time.
For example, if you really care about pins, patches, and stuffed animals that you can only get at BlizzCon, you'll probably want to line up early Friday morning, skip the opening ceremony, and beeline right for the Darkmoon Faire. Worse comes to worse, you might have to wait an hour (or more), but at least you'll have a good shot at gear before things get too crazy, and most other people will be focusing on Blizzard's big announcements. Do not plan to go the hour before the convention closes—lines will likely be closed early.
If you're looking to get posters signed by some of Blizzard's big names, like story warlord Chris Metzen, you'll probably want to hover (or get in line at) the signing area for the employees' respective games soon after the opening ceremony ends. There's always a chance they'll pop back around at some point during the convention, but post-keynote is usually the best time to catch them (or the post-convention Hilton / Marriott unofficial lounge party, of course).
For great seats for Blizzard's Community Night, where all the convention's best cosplayers compete for prizes, don't plan to just wander up a half-hour beforehand. If it's being held in the same location as other panels, you might want to secure a great seat during a less-popular event, like a developer panel (or two), and just camp out. Your backside and/or knees might not be thrilled, but you won't be stuck staring at closed doors for the event you really want to watch.
And learn a lesson from me: Check out the experience before you step in line. That way, you'll know if you need to buy a book before an author signing (or review the BlizzCon schedule weeks in advance, so you can have one on-hand); you'll know if the tiny tattoo you're about to get is worth the 45 minutes you'll spend in line for it; and you'll learn that you need to find nine other people to enjoy a game demo (and that's something you should have figured out before you stepped in line, so you aren't awkwardly waiting at the front).
