Mud off your mechanical keyboards and get your power drinks prepared as a result of BlizzCon 2026 is formally leaning into most nostalgia. Blizzard simply dropped a large replace on what’s ready for us in Anaheim this September, and they’re bringing again absolutely the titans of yesteryear.
We already knew the usual world championships have been locked in, however the true star of the present is the newly introduced Blizzard Basic Cup. This occasion is an attractive excuse to drag legendary gamers out of retirement, put them on a stage, and watch them destroy friendships over old-school RTS and MOBA matches.
The Final Drafting Drama with Tastosis
To make issues much more entertaining, Blizzard handed the steering wheel to probably the most iconic casting duo in esports historical past. Nick “Tasteless” Plott and Dan “Artosis” Stemkoski are stepping out from behind the commentator desk to behave as crew captains.
Earlier than the weekend kicks off, they are going to be drafting an all-star roster of retro legends into two competing squads. They will even be casting among the matches, which means we get the total, genuine 2010s expertise. The groups will spend the weekend preventing for pleasure, a trophy, and a piece of a cool $100,000 prize pool.
StarCraft Royalty and the Return of the Foreigner
The match bulletins are already hitting like a freight prepare of nostalgia. For StarCraft: Remastered, we’re getting BoxeR versus Nal_rA. For those who watched aggressive Brood Struggle within the mid-2000s, you most likely simply gasped. BoxeR is virtually the blueprint for contemporary esports athletes, and Nal_rA was the grasp of mind-bending Protoss methods.
For those who favor your sci-fi technique with barely up to date graphics, the StarCraft II Legacy Match is throwing IdrA and MC again into the sector. This was one of the vital delightfully chaotic rivalries of the Wings of Liberty period. IdrA was the brilliantly gifted, notoriously grumpy western hope, whereas MC was the extremely adorned Protoss president who beloved to trash-talk. Anticipate fireworks, or not less than a really quick rage-quit.
Reopening Previous Wounds in Warcraft and Heroes of the Storm
The journey down reminiscence lane doesn’t cease in house. The Warcraft III Legacy Match is pairing up ToD and TeD, two champions who spent almost a decade passing trophies forwards and backwards. TeD holds a slight historic edge of their head-to-head document, so ToD is undoubtedly in search of some long-awaited Anaheim revenge.
In the meantime, Heroes of the Storm is making a triumphant return to the BlizzCon stage with a large grudge match. They’re reconstructing the precise finals matchup from 2018, placing Workforce Dignitas up towards Gen.G. Dignitas is bringing again 4 members of their authentic 2018 roster, whereas Gen.G is packing an all-star lineup of Korean veterans.
It’s the good fanservice for the MOBA neighborhood that refuses to let the sport die.
The Remainder of the BlizzCon Chaos
If you wish to look ahead as a substitute of backward, the fashionable esports circuits are additionally bringing loads of warmth to the conference middle. The Overwatch World Cup is heading to its last phases, with the highest 16 nations preventing in South Korea this August earlier than the ultimate eight land in Anaheim.
Over within the World of Warcraft part, each the Area World Championship and the Mythic Dungeon Worldwide wrapped up their qualifiers. The AWC is seeing the historic return of Chinese language groups to the worldwide stage after an extended seven-year absence, which is certain to fully scramble the aggressive meta. The MDI can also be returning to its basic speedrunning format, which means we get to look at high guilds fully break dungeon mechanics in real-time.
Whether or not you might be there for the retro informal vibes or the high-stakes fashionable drama, September goes to be wild.
