Why Does Blizzard Still Announce Games Years Before Their Release?

Hot news News 09/13/2026

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There were two new announcements, and in both cases, we’ll have to wait years for the releases. Blizzard’s president explained why.

Reactions to the StarCraft teaser shown at BlizzCon this year seem fairly unanimous. Initial excitement faded when the caption “STARCRAFT RETURNS 2030” appeared at the end. The fact that it will be an open-world shooter didn’t help matters either. The unexpected announcement of Diablo V‘s release in 2029 also seems odd. Eleven years passed between Diablo III and Diablo IV, but only six years will pass between those two and Diablo V.

Announcing games more than a couple of years before their release seems outdated. People assume games will be delayed anyway, and audiences treat the phrase “as early as” as little more than a footnote. Saying something is just around the corner inspires optimism, whereas saying there are still three or four years to go suggests we should brace ourselves for a hype cycle we’ll be sick of long before the game comes out—if it ever does. Ahead of BlizzCon, Johanna Faries, president of Blizzard, spoke with Bloomberg.

Blizzard has so far been spared from Microsoft’s latest round of layoffs, but more are expected next year. Faries used this opportunity to let everyone know that there are plenty of exciting projects in the works and that they need as many employees as possible to bring them to life. Although Faries didn’t mention potential layoffs, she said she wants BlizzCon to be an oasis of sorts—a moment of true joy for Blizzard employees and fans alike—and that she’s fully focused on making Blizzard as healthy as possible.

“We want to convey confidence in some of our biggest projects moving forward. We’re a Blizzard that’s going to deliver big and on time. All hands are on deck to set those projects up for success. Preserving that focus has been my ultimate goal. It’s the unique special sauce that is Blizzard, both culturally and creatively. To the extent that we perform well for Microsoft, I think it should be seen as a mutual win,” said Faries.

But how long will this blind optimism last if Microsoft ends up cutting them loose as well?

Source: PCGamer, Bloomberg

Angyal Anikó

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