Blizzard Entertainment has announced a series of developer-led showcases spanning its major franchises. The final broadcast, a Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight, airs February 11, 2026. The announcement marks the Microsoft-owned studio's 35th anniversary, with executives promising this will be "the biggest year yet" for the company.
Full Showcase Schedule
The series, titled "Blizzard: The Next Chapter," features announcements, previews, and teases across all of Blizzard's major universes. The company's official Viewers' Guide describes the event as celebrating "35 years of community and craft" while honoring "the artists, makers, and visionaries behind our games, and our players who bring them to life."
World of Warcraft - State of Azeroth
- January 29 at 9:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM EST / 5:00 PM GMT / 2:00 AM KST (January 30)
- World of Warcraft YouTube and Twitch channels
Overwatch Spotlight
- February 4 at 10:00 AM PST / 1:00 PM EST / 6:00 PM GMT / 3:00 AM KST (February 5)
- Overwatch YouTube and Twitch channels
Hearthstone Spotlight
- February 9 at 9:30 AM PST / 12:30 PM EST / 5:30 PM GMT / 2:30 AM KST (February 10)
- Hearthstone YouTube and Twitch channels
Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight
- February 11 at 2:00 PM PST / 5:00 PM EST / 10:00 PM GMT / 7:00 AM KST (February 12)
- Diablo YouTube and Twitch channels
All presentations will stream live and remain available on-demand afterward.
Diablo Takes Center Stage
The Diablo broadcast carries extra weight as a celebration of the franchise's 30th anniversary. Blizzard's promotional materials confirm coverage of the entire Diablo franchise, not just Diablo 4.
Promotional imagery features the Paladin class, pointing toward major Lord of Hatred expansion reveals. The broader "Diablo franchise" framing has sparked speculation about announcements for other Diablo titles as well.
Blizzard held a similar large-scale stage event in Seattle when revealing the Spirit Born class for Vessel of Hatred. That reveal came several months before launch, and the 30th Anniversary Spotlight appears positioned to follow the same playbook.
Lord of Hatred Expansion - April 28, 2026
Diablo 4's second expansion brings a massive wave of new content and system overhauls. The expansion takes players to Skovos, a new region, with a campaign centered on facing Mephisto.
Two new classes arrive with the expansion. The Paladin is already playable for players who pre-purchased, while a second class remains hidden. Promotional materials show "Paladin & ???" with a question mark covering the mystery class. Fishing also joins the game as a new activity.
System and Itemization Changes
The Horadric Cube returns for crafting. A new Talisman system introduces sets to Diablo 4, and Bonus Skill Variants add another layer to character building.
Free Updates for All Players
Several major changes arrive as permanent updates available to everyone, not just expansion owners. Skill trees get a complete overhaul across all 8 classes. The level cap increases to 70. A loot filter system finally arrives. Blizzard has teased additional features still to be announced.
New Endgame Systems
War Plans and Echoing Hatred represent the new endgame additions. Both systems will have their own skill trees, adding progression depth to max-level play.
Pre-Purchase Bonuses
Pre-purchasing grants immediate access to the Paladin and the Vessel of Hatred expansion. The Ultimate Edition adds a Paladin Cosmetic Bundle, a Basilisk Mount, and 3,000 Platinum.
The Mystery Class
The hidden second class has become one of the most discussed topics heading into the February showcase. The 30th Anniversary Spotlight provides a natural stage for the reveal.
Community discussion has produced several theories. Some expect a full reveal during the February broadcast given how close April feels. Others believe Blizzard might hold back longer, possibly releasing the class alongside Season 12 as an early surprise, or saving the announcement until weeks before launch.
Roadmap Shows Hidden February Content
Blizzard's Lord of Hatred announcement included a roadmap from December 2025 through April 2026. December shows Season 11 and the Paladin. March shows Season 12 with a new collaboration. April shows the expansion launch.
February, though, appears covered by an explosion effect hiding whatever's underneath.
That hidden content will be revealed during the 30th Anniversary Spotlight. The deliberate concealment suggests something bigger than a typical season announcement.
A Timing Problem
The roadmap creates an interesting scheduling puzzle. There isn't enough time between December and April for two full-length seasons. Either Season 11 or Season 12 will run shorter than normal, or one season gets extended with extra content.
This has fueled speculation that Season 12 might actually launch in February rather than March. If Blizzard dropped a new season (and possibly the mystery class) during the anniversary event, it would mark a major moment for the franchise.
Season 12 and PTR Timing
In-game data shows Season 11 ending approximately 43 days from January 26, putting Season 12's start around March 10, 2026. That's a Tuesday, matching Blizzard's typical launch pattern.
PTR testing usually begins about a month before season launch. Early February timing seems likely, potentially as early as February 3. The PTR could also line up closer to the February 11 showcase. Either way, the public test and major Diablo news arrive within days of each other.
The March roadmap slot shows Season 12 includes a collaboration. No details on whether it involves another Blizzard IP or an outside franchise.
Other Potential February Surprises
Beyond seasons and classes, the community has floated additional theories for the February reveal.
Solo Self-Found mode remains a popular request. The February event could mark its debut, letting players start fresh characters with the new ruleset during Season 11's final weeks.
Blizzard could also push some expansion systems live early. Releasing skill tree overhauls before April would let players test them in the current season, building excitement for the full expansion.
There's always the possibility of something entirely unannounced. Major anniversary events tend to bring surprises.
News Expected for Other Diablo Games
The "Diablo franchise" description opens the door for announcements beyond Diablo 4.
Diablo II: Resurrected
Blizzard has been teasing D2R content for months. The 30th anniversary celebration provides a fitting stage for whatever they've been hinting at. Many players still consider D2 the franchise's peak, and honoring that legacy makes sense during a milestone event.
Diablo I Remaster Rumors
Speculation about a Diablo I remaster has circulated for years. The original game holds a special place for longtime fans, with many still calling it the best entry in the series.
A Blizzard social media post from summer 2025 added fuel to the fire. On Diablo I's birthday, the company wrote: "Happy birthday Diablo I. 25 years have passed since our first foray into the Burning Hells. If you think you've seen it all and done it all, just wait for the chaos we have yet to unleash."
That message never got a follow-up. The 30th Anniversary Spotlight could finally deliver on whatever Blizzard was teasing.
Diablo Immortal
As part of the broader franchise, Diablo Immortal will likely receive some attention during the February broadcast. Covering all active Diablo games fits the anniversary framing.
Blizzard Promises "Biggest Year Yet"
Company leadership has set high expectations for 2026. In previous interviews, executives stated that "the teams across Blizzard entirely as an organization are gearing up for what we hope to be the biggest year yet for Blizzard."
The Diablo team appears well-staffed to deliver. Following Ross Ferguson's recent departure, Blizzard highlighted the large team working across the franchise. The scope of Lord of Hatred (Horadric Cube, War Plans, complete skill tree overhauls) reflects that investment.
BlizzCon 2026 Confirmed
Blizzard's Viewers' Guide confirms BlizzCon 2026 is "on the horizon." The current showcase series represents "only the beginning" of their 2026 plans.
A physical exhibition called "Blizzard: The Next Chapter" has also opened. The collection features approximately 400 artifacts honoring "moments, releases, and memories from our very beginning to now, and beyond."
WoW, Overwatch, and Hearthstone
The other three showcases will deliver their own announcements.
World of Warcraft kicks things off January 29 with "State of Azeroth." The presentation should include news on Midnight, the next expansion rumored for early 2026.
Overwatch follows February 4 with future plans for Overwatch 2. Blizzard hasn't hinted at specifics.
Hearthstone rounds out the pre-Diablo schedule on February 9. Details remain under wraps.
Blizzard's Statement
The company framed these reveals as part of a larger story connecting Blizzard and its players:
"For 35 years, Blizzard has been shaped by the worlds we build and the players who bring them to life. You've fought through World of Warcraft, battled in Diablo, played your cards in Hearthstone, and held the line in Overwatch. We've come a long way together. And now, the next chapter begins."
"Over the next few weeks, each world will showcase what comes next. If these games mean something to you, we'd love to see you there. These aren't updates in isolation. They're part of where Blizzard is heading, together with the players who've been here all along."
35 Years of Blizzard
The showcase arrives at a significant milestone. Over 35 years, Blizzard created some of gaming's most influential franchises. StarCraft, Warcraft III (plus Reign of Chaos and Frozen Throne), Diablo II with Lord of Destruction, World of Warcraft: the company's history shaped entire genres.
That legacy adds weight to the "biggest year yet" promise. Recapturing the magic of Blizzard's golden age remains a tall order, but the scale of announcements planned shows serious ambition.
How to Watch
All four showcases stream live on each franchise's official YouTube and Twitch channels. On-demand viewing will be available after each broadcast concludes.
