Blizzard Entertainment

Grab Bag week!

There’s a lot the community is talking about—and we're excited for. This week, I'd love to briefly touch on a bunch of those topics. 

Flashpoint! 

We talked about Flashpoint during the livestream, and then some of the points around its design over Twitter, but nothing compares to a picture. It's good practice to draw paper maps before building a new level, especially when it's part of the process for designing a new game mode.

This image was one of the first ones drawn for Flashpoint. The final layout of Suravasa won't be exactly like this—for instance there won't be a river dividing the map in two—but it does a good job of showing how a Flashpoint map is designed. There are two spawn points for each team and five points arranged in an x pattern. We talked about the quasi-symmetrical nature of the map on the O...

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Multiple planes of Hell will converge in our upcoming Diablo Developer Update Livestream on July 6 at 11 a.m. PDT!

We’ll kick off this livestream with a deep dive provided by senior narrative designer Ryan Quinn and lead user experience designer Chris Liao on the monstrous new Class coming to Diablo Immortal in mid-July. Then our host, associate director of community Adam Fletcher, will introduce associate game director Joseph Piepiora and lead game producer Timothy Ismay who will announce the first Season of Diablo IV, along with incoming quality-of-life updates. Players will also have the opportunity to ask our developers questions during a li...

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Hearthstone’s next expansion, TITANS, is coming on August 1! The expansion features 11 new Titan minions, minions that use powerful abilities instead of their first three attacks. But who are the Titans and why do they warrant this exciting cycle of Legendary cards? Learn more in this special lore blog, ahead of more titan-tastic reveals and special community events!

What are Titans?

Azeroth is one of many worlds in the Warcraft universe. Many cosmic forces and mythical beings have influenced Azeroth and the many characters we know and love (and love to hate) in it. Legends tell us that the massive, godlike beings known as titans were formed from the primordial matter from which the cosmos was formed. Their spirits are said to be born as world-souls, formed within the fiery cores of distant planets, slumbering for untold ages. When they finally awaken, embodying the raw power of Order itself, these titans wander the distant corners of th...

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Stay up to date with World of Warcraft when you join us each week as we round up some of the latest top blue posts and discussions.

Here are this week's highlights:

Dragonflight

• Upcoming Prismatic Bauble Toy Changes: The Prismatic Bauble toy, which leaves a rainbow trail behind characters, will return to its pre-June state soon, including a longer cooldown and purchasable from a more e...

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Building an Epic Boss Fight in Defeat the Demon Lord!

Nothing tops a great adventure like an epic boss fight, and you’ll find just that in the new Defeat the Demon Lord game mode built by Workshop creator CactusPuppy. This new mode features a 1v4 asymmetrical fight, where four brave adventurers stand up to the Demon Lord Reinhardt as they work to stop his monstrous rampage throughout Overland.

We spent a little time with CactusPuppy to find out more about his approach to creating the game mode and what it took to bring it to life.

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What were your first thoughts when the Overwatch team approached you about building the mode?

CA: It was a sense of shock at first, but I was happy for the opportunity because it was a wonderful chance to show everyone what cool things you can do with the Workshop.

Who came up with the mode, and how did you and the Overwatch team build on the concept?

CA: I ca...

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We’re teaming up with Amazon Prime Gaming* for a special offer. For a limited time, Prime Gaming subscribers can obtain a wondrous WoW** mount that's a rare breed among the tallstriders of Kalimdor.

Starting June 22nd, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. PDT until July 20, 2023 at 9:29 PDT Prime Gaming subscribers can claim a Swift Shorestrider mount.

Claim Offer

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Not a Prime Gaming member? ...

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After four years away, BlizzCon® is returning to Anaheim, California on November 3-4! We’re so excited to get everyone together again, celebrate our communities, and share what we’ve been working on.

This year, the goal is to make BlizzCon® feel more experiential than ever before. It will be a one-of-a-kind immersive experience, bringing attendees into the universes of Warcraft®, Diablo®, and Overwatch® with massive installations, art, and thematic spaces where friends can connect. Whether you’re kicking back in Azeroth, exploring the mysteries of a dark cathedral of Sanctuary, playing alongside the heroes of Overwatch®, or tuning in from home, we want you to feel you are entering universes alongside your friends as you celebrate and experience what we’re building next, and hear from developers all across Blizzard about their vision for our games, their craft, and more.

This is the first time we are building BlizzCon this way, an...

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After four years away, BlizzCon® is returning to Anaheim, California on November 3-4! We’re so excited to get everyone together again, celebrate our communities, and share what we’ve been working on.

This year, the goal is to make BlizzCon® feel more experiential than ever before. It will be a one-of-a-kind immersive experience, bringing attendees into the universes of Warcraft®, Diablo®, and Overwatch® with massive installations, art, and thematic spaces where friends can connect. Whether you’re kicking back in Azeroth, exploring the mysteries of a dark cathedral of Sanctuary, playing alongside the heroes of Overwatch®, or tuning in from home, we want you to feel you are entering universes alongside your friends as you celebrate and experience what we’re building next, and hear from developers all across Blizzard about their vision for our games, their craft, and more.

This is the first time we are building BlizzCon this way, an...

Read more

After four years away, BlizzCon® is returning to Anaheim, California on November 3-4! We’re so excited to get everyone together again, celebrate our communities, and share what we’ve been working on.

This year, the goal is to make BlizzCon® feel more experiential than ever before. It will be a one-of-a-kind immersive experience, bringing attendees into the universes of Warcraft®, Diablo®, and Overwatch® with massive installations, art, and thematic spaces where friends can connect. Whether you’re kicking back in Azeroth, exploring the mysteries of a dark cathedral of Sanctuary, playing alongside the heroes of Overwatch®, or tuning in from home, we want you to feel you are entering universes alongside your friends as you celebrate and experience what we’re building next, and hear from developers all across Blizzard about their vision for our games, their craft, and more.

This is the first time we are building BlizzCon this way, an...

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The Ruby Lifeshrine has more eggs than it can manage and needs a little help hatching and teaching five of their dragon whelps, so they’ve called in the crew at the Little Scales Daycare to assist. The crew has become overwhelmed and needs you to help wrangle some whelps.

Scaling Up

Once you arrive in the Dragon Isles, Herald Flaps will deliver a note to you. Accept the “Eggs in Abundance” quest that leads you to Amella at the Ruby Lifeshrine, where you’ll learn about what a  Whelptender does. You’ll then be on your way to the Little ...

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Rally your party and venture into a new eight-boss Mythic difficulty mega-dungeon: Dawn of the Infinite! At stake is the future of Azeroth, and only you can ensure the timeline remains preserved—hopefully with a minimal number of paradoxes. This Mythic-only instance can reward you with loot coveted by time benders everywhere, including a perennial assortment of powerful gear, Dragonriding customizations, and many other surprises.

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Turning Back Time to Make it Right

An optional questline related to the Dawn of the Infinite mega-dungeon will be available when Fractures in Time launches. It all starts atop the Seat of the Aspects in Valdrakken where you can pick up the quest “Dawn of the Infinite” from Nozdormu. He senses a terrible threat approaching, and alongside Chromie, you must discover this new enemy's true nature before it's too late.

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Bosses: 8
Diffi...

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It’s official, Hardcore realms are coming to World of Warcraft. Players will have the opportunity to show if they have the edge, the grit, the very will— to engage with Azeroth, its denizens, and their fellow players… to survive.

But there are rules of engagement, as there always are. Here are the rules for WoW Classic Hardcore realms and a little bit of the behind-the-scenes thoughts on the choices that have been made.

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Hardcore Ruleset Overview

Death on Hardcore realms is permanent on that realm.

This means that if you die, you won’t be able to run back to your corpse and resurrect, nor can you be resurrected by any other spell or ability. This means that even if you have abilities as a part of your class, such as the Shaman Reincarnation, or Warlock Soulstone, they won’t be of any use to you.

You will continue to exist in the game world as a ghost to facilitate...

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In the Fractures in Time content update, the Warlock Class expands to new races. You’ll also be able to undertake a new Warlock-specific questline and use the Barbershop to customize your pets.

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Embracing New Ways

Night Elves, Draenei, Lightforged Draenei, Pandaren, Kul Tiran, Tauren, Highmountain Tauren, Mag’har Orcs, and Zandalari Trolls can embrace the ways of the Warlock class—if they have the keen intellect for it and a strong stomach. Demons aren’t always easy to wrangle.

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New Quest: New Imp

Warlocks can undertake a new quest line at level 30 that starts with the quest "Beginning Impositions.” To get started, meet up with Assistant Phineas in the Mage Quarter in Stormwind ...

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Patch 26.6, launching today, is a massive patch that brings a new Hearthstone Mode, sets up the return of Battlegrounds Quests, and heralds the coming of Hearthstone’s next expansion: TITANS!

Pre-Purchase TITANS

Get ready to meet your makers in Hearthstone’s next expansion, TITANS, coming August 1! In the beginning, massive titan world-souls shaped life on Azeroth. Now, they’re coming to shape Hearthstone! With mythical characters and out-of-this-world effects, this is the dawn of the age of the TITANS!

TITANS is bursting with primordial power and 145 new collectible cards. You can learn more in the TITANS Announcement Blog. Two pre-purchase options are available now so you can start forging decks as soon as the expansion launches.

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Announcing TITANS Hearthstone’s Newest Expansion

Before the age of mortals, the titans came to the world. These massive beings used arcane magic and ancient technology to imprison the Old Gods and bring order to the nascent planet. They imbued their keepers with celestial powers to watch over the planet and help forge the many beings that would inhabit it. This is what myths are made of. This is TITANS!

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Each week we’ll look ahead to what’s in store for World of Warcraft, share the latest news, and keep you in the know byte by byte. Time is fleeting, and it won’t be long until the Fractures in Time content goes live on July 11. We’ve got more information to share on what’s to come.

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News and Events This Week

• June 26
  • (Article) Specialize with the New Augmentation Evoker
• June 27
  • (Event) World Quest Bonus Event
  • (Event) PvP Brawl: Shado-Pan Showdown
  • (Article) Level-Up Your Warlock and Pets
  • (Article) The Trading Post Goes Live on July 1
• June 28
  • (Article) Preserve the Timeline: Dawn of the Infinite Mega-Dungeon
  • (Article) Help Wanted: Inquire at the Whelp Daycare
  • (Article) WoW Classic Update
  • (Reminder) Las...

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Emberthal and Ebyssian are working together to release the Black dragonflight essence that had been siphoned from the Dracthyr during their long stasis, unlocking memories and powers forgotten to them.

The result of their efforts will be felt by all Dracthyr Evokers as they'll gain access to a brand-new Specialization: Augmentation, available immediately with the release of the Fractures in Time Update!

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What is the Augmentation Spec?

Augmentation is a new Damage Dealer role with a twist: they use the essence of the Black and Bronze drag...

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Stay up to date with World of Warcraft when you join us each week as we round up some of the latest top blue posts and discussions.

Here are this week's highlights:

• Evoker Legendary Weapon Drop Chances: Defeating Scalecommander Sarkareth on lower difficulties does not offer additional chances to receive this item. Players get the same chance to receive the item if they do only Heroic or Normal then Heroic.
• Scalecommander Sarkareth’s “Obliv...

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Joust with the best of them for new rewards, face Onyxia once more and prove yourself a champion when you face all new trials.

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Arriving June 20 with The Update

(New) Titan Rune Dungeons—Defense Protocol Beta

Embrace the challenge of Titan Rune Dungeons, where you’ll take on a new higher-level difficulty in which creatures and bosses have a variety of dangerous new effects as well as additional health and damage. Bosses killed with Defense Protocol Beta active award loot from the 10-player version of Ulduar. The final boss will also award a new currency: Sidereal Essence. Sidereal Essence may be exchanged for rewards from 10-player Hard Mode Ulduar gear at the Animated Constellation vendor in Dalaran. Activate this mode through the Mysterious Device at the entranc...

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With Season 5 now underway, we’ll be bringing new improvements to Competitive Play, including matchmaking updates, bringing back a popular ranked game mode, as well as testing new ways for friends to play together regardless of their individual skill levels. Let’s look at where Competitive Play stands today and where we are looking to take it in the months to come.

Competitive Play Currently

For the last few seasons, we’ve been working to make improvements to matchmaking—with a focus on Competitive Play—in an effort to bring players of equal skill levels together. Notably, this season, we’ve started to prioritize placing similar groups with wide skill ranges into the same match: while this makes queue times a little longer for large groups, it helps to ensure a fair match.

In the previous season, we started to provide a matching rank (to show how close each player is to the overall average skill rating of the lobby), along with showing you where ...

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