If you were hoping that BlizzCon's return in 2023 would signify the event once again being an annual celebration of all things Blizzard Entertainment, we have some bad news for you.
The Californian developer has confirmed that BlizzCon will not be back this year, and that instead it will favour making appearances at defined events already planned for this year. One of these events will be Gamescom in August, but no doubt we can expect some Blizzard news at the Xbox Games Showcase in June too.
"Over the next few months, we'll be sharing more details about our launches coming later this year, including World of Warcraft: The War Within and Diablo IV's first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. To celebrate these upcoming releases and to bring our communities together in new and special ways, we will soon share some exciting plans for other industry trade shows and conventions like Gamescom."
Blizzard did affirm that it has a few esports events taking place around the world this year, including the Overwatch Champions Series in Dallas and Stockholm, and also plans for "multiple, global, in-person events to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Warcraft". The specifics of these plans have yet to be confirmed.
This doesn't mean that BlizzCon is dead however, as Blizzard has stated that "we are just as excited as ever to bring BlizzCon back in future years."