Hope you all had a great holiday. Now that it's the new year its time to look back at the high lows of 2024 of Blizzard and its many titles. We cover everything from the games to the business moves as well as what to look forward to in 2025.
As always, let us know what you think and thank you for your continued support.
2025-01-03 17:23:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello supporters!
Today we have another episode of Sentai & Sensibility for you to enjoy. This week, our sentai is on the chase! As present-pilfering robotic spiders flee across the city, Her Majesty's Prehistorian Praetorians race to find the culprit and salvage the holiday season. But the Queen's Winter Gala is just around the corner, with a palace full of presents to be handed out... and it's sure to make a tempting target.
Liz is hosting this game as Master of Ceremon...
2025-01-03 15:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostHello supporters!
As of the new year, Blizzard Watch is owned by long-time writers, editors, managers, and cat herders Dan O'Halloran and Elizabeth Harper. Both of us have been working on the site since the beginning, after spending many years at WoW Insider before it.
We're also working on making more content in 2025:
Our first big project is one we've been working on for a while: a redesign of the Blizzard Watch site which should make it easier to find the content...
2025-01-01 21:58:35 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy New Year, Patrons!
Here is your first ad-free episode of Lore Watch of 2025.
Join us as we discuss an alternate universe for the Diablo franchise where Prince Aidan never embedded the soul stone into his head to become the vessel for Diablo at the end of the first game. How would the lack of this pivotal moment radically alter the events of Diablo II, III, and IV?
The discussion delves into alternate outcomes for Sanctuary, the Worldstone, a...
2025-01-01 17:16:39 +0000 UTC View Post
This is the week where we’re all generally addled and not sure which day it is, and we’re simultaneously full of holiday cheer but also cheese and perhaps a cookie or eight.
It’s how long til new years? Eh, Elling Trias will probably still be open. Bit more cheese.
What Happened This Week?
This week’s Hearthstone ...
2024-12-27 21:15:38 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Join us as we discuss the controversial upcoming rework of Marksmanship Hunters that removes pets, the Goblin/casino/mecha T-Rex themed preview of WoW patch 11.1 coming early next year, the new updates to this year’s Winter Veil event, and the discovery of garden gnome cosmetics for when you need to be deadly, yet whimsical.
No preshow this week.
As always, let us know what you think and thank you for your continued support.
2024-12-27 16:19:22 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello supporters!
Today we have a new episode of our somewhat neglected tabletop liveplay series. You can look forward to two or three episodes per month moving forward (depending on scheduling, which is the bane of all gamers).
There's a tabletop game for everyone, even those of us who want to combine regency romance with sentai superhero teams: that's Sentai & Sensibility. Join Her Majesty's Prehistorian Praetorians as our prehistoric-themed sentai — you can thank Matt for...
2024-12-27 15:00:13 +0000 UTC View PostDue to the holidays, there will not be a Lore Watch Podcast this week. However, the main Blizzard Watch Podcast will be going live later this week as usual, along with a new episode of Tavern Watch Plays. Next week we plan to stick to our usual podcast schedule (but you know how plans go).
Thanks, as always, for your support and happy holidays everyone!
— Liz
2024-12-25 19:11:23 +0000 UTC View Post
I find myself being a bit envious of Scrooge sometimes as we round this particular temporal corner. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends and family, but sometimes it sounds like it might be nice to be "secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster," as Dickens described him. And that, Watchers, is when I know it's peak holiday overwhelm season. Thank goodness we tracked down all of Bli...
2024-12-20 22:05:41 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Join us as we discuss the new content that has arrived in WoW with the roll out of patch 11.0.7 Siren Isle, the treasure goblin kill fest Diablo 4 holiday event, Hearthstone’s current meta mess, and the new Heroes of the Storm custom game mode that gives us hope that the title may still be revived. What? A girl can dream.
In our exclusive preshow, we talk about the flood of recent gaming showcases, the massive scale of indies right now, and the new Indiana Jon...
2024-12-20 17:16:43 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Here is your ad-free access to the latest episode of Lore Watch.
Join us as we discuss where new class halls could be given some iconic ones were destroyed when Dalaran fell from the sky. Also, more exploration of the true nature of Beledar, the crystal that lights Hallowfall. Spoiler: It all ties into the Titans, because of course it does.
As always, let us know what you think and thank you for your continued support.
2024-12-18 19:15:53 +0000 UTC View PostThis week is all about gaming awards shows and showcases, and here at Blizzard Watch we have been soaking up game trailers all week. But we do still have some Blizzard news to cover as well as a some excellent events next week. Let’s catch up on what’s been happening this week, and what’s coming next week.
Hi there, Patrons!
Join us as we discuss the unimpressive upgradable ring, Circe’s Circlet, arriving with Siren Isle, Diablo Immortal finally getting….Diablo, and how yet another mobile-first Blizzard game has found its way onto PCs.
In our exclusive preshow, we talk about the Dragon Age: Veilguard standalone character creator, the lighter moments in Cyberpunk 2077, and Godzilla fighting rats in New York. I don't know. it's one of those podcasts.
The preshow ends at 33:0...
2024-12-13 00:12:19 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Here is your ad-free access to the latest episode of Lore Watch.
Join us as we discuss the lore questions tied to the official Warcraft novel, “Stormrage”. We delve into Malfurion’s vision of Azeroth and the corrupting influence of Xavius as well as speculation about Azeroth’s sentience, its selective amnesia due to the Emerald Nightmare attacks, and Malfurion’s connection to it all.
Bonus: No one repeatedly yelling TYRAAAAAAANDE! Maybe.
As...
2024-12-11 15:35:38 +0000 UTC View Post
Is anybody else three peppermint mochas into the weekend already? Let's get this weekly wrapup sorted so I can go break an ankle falling off a ladder while I try to hang lights outside. Festive!
What Happened This Week?
Hi there, Patrons!
Join us as we discuss the dual spec, LFG, and gold accessibility features rolled out early on the WoW Classic Anniversary realms, the new heroes introduced with Hearthstone Battlegrounds Season 9, the upcoming PC beta of Blizzard’s Warcraft Rumble mobile game, the overwhelming number of promotions happening with WoW right now, and the launch of the much-anticipated Overwatch-clone, Marvel Rivals. Because who doesn’t want to play Hulk fast balling Wolverine into th...
2024-12-06 17:37:51 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Here is your ad-free access to the latest episode of Lore Watch.
Join us as we discuss Dragon Age: The Veilguard, exploring the significance of gods, spirits, and corruption in the world of Thedas, the protagonist’s role in the narrative, and the Big Story Choice that must be made early on. And, of course, the companions. You know, the real reason we’re playing.
As always, let us know what you think and thank you for your continued support. 2024-12-04 13:58:39 +0000 UTC View Post
While there are several things that are amusingly unrealistic in video games, none of them are quite as enviable as the ability of my character to stand over a fire, rub her hands together for a few seconds, and pop out a fully cooked whatever with zero cleanup or additional hassle.
I'm taking a quick break from scouring perhaps every dish I own to bring you this week's rundown of all the things that you may have missed this week.
Hi there, Patrons!
Join us as we discuss the rollout plans for the WoW Classic anniversary realms, Diablo 4’s upcoming armory changes that allow hot swapping between builds, our hopes and dreams for a Heroes of the Storm revival, the upcoming early access for Diablo-competitor Path of Exile 2, and the WoW secret finding community’s obsession with The Golden Muffin. Yes, you read that right.
In our exclusive preshow, we talk more about Dragon Age: Veilguard. Again. To the surpr...
2024-11-29 21:26:31 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Here is your ad-free access to the latest episode of Lore Watch.
Join us as we discuss how Beledar, the immense crystal lodged in the cavern ceiling of the Khaz Algar zone, could be connected to Naaru ships, Titan technology, world-soul constructs, elemental magics, stormrook gryphons, and pumpkin pie. Ok, I may be making that last one up. Maybe.
As always, let us know what you think and thank you for your continued support!
2024-11-27 16:26:11 +0000 UTC View Post
As many of us prepare to spend a holiday together with family, just remember that it could be worse. Malfurion could be your surrogate father.
Here is our Friday wrapup of all the stuff that happened this week, everything you need to know for next week, and a few helpful reminders to help you slog through it all.
What Happened This Week?
Hi there, Patrons!
Join us as we discuss all the revelations from last week’s BlizzCo--uh, Warcraft Direct including WoW player housing, WoW Classic Classic (not a typo), and the WoW 2025 roadmap. Also Hearthstone Battlegrounds Season 9, how WoW mobile games end up on PC, and our soft spot for Heroes of the Storm.
In our exclusive preshow, we talk more about Dragon Age: Veilguard. To the surprise of absolutely no one. (Spoilers abound.) The preshow ends at 38:30 if you want to s...
2024-11-21 17:00:14 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Here is your ad-free access to the latest episode of Lore Watch.
Matt and Joe explore the possibility that Faerin Lothar of Hallowfell is being set up as a love interest for Anduin, the questionable motivations of the High Heavens and Burning Hells post-Diablo 3, and the parallels between the way the Diablo and WoW franchises approach storytelling.
As always, let us know what you think and thank you for your continued support.
2024-11-20 17:25:16 +0000 UTC View Post
Unless you’re living under a rock you already know what time it is, so let’s get to it.
What Happened This Week?
Warcraft Direct
Final Fantasy 14 patch 7.1 released November 12
This week’...
2024-11-15 22:33:18 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Join us as we discuss the baby yeti pet revealed for this year’s WoW Winter Veil event, Overwatch 2’s temporary Classic mode which definitely isn’t a test to bring it back permanently, Diablo 4’s lackluster seasonal events, StarCraft arriving on PC Game Pass, and more impressions of Dragon Age: Veilguard.
In our exclusive preshow, we talk about how some tabletop RPG campaigns are designed for your character to die and be replaced with a new one to encour...
2024-11-15 17:12:28 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Here is your ad-free access to the latest episode of Lore Watch.
Matt and Joe debate the philosophical implications of how the Light affects free will, its relation to the Void, and its influence on prominent lore characters like Anduin Wrynn.
As always, let us know what you think and thank you for your continued support.
2024-11-14 05:15:26 +0000 UTC View PostHi all, Lore Watch will be going out later tonight. Thanks!
2024-11-13 21:39:30 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Join us as we discuss what we know about 11.0.7’s new Siren Isle zone, the return of Plunderstorm in early 2025, the discovery of the Detective title in WoW, the large number of bugs we’re experiencing in The War Within, Diablo Immortal’s WoW crossover, and the possibility of a Warcraft 2 remaster. Because the Warcraft 3 remaster worked out so well…
No pre-show this week, but we recorded an extra long episode for your listening pleasure.
As always,...
2024-11-08 17:01:47 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there, Patrons!
Here is your ad-free access to the latest episode of Lore Watch.
We conclude our Dragon Age lore series with the game that started it all: Dragon Age: Origins. This episode delves into the morally complex world of Thedas, the struggles of the Grey Wardens, and the foundation of the Blight plus other key elements introduced in this title and further developed in the sequels. As usual, more spoilers than Morrigan has witty retorts.
As always, ...
2024-11-06 18:32:45 +0000 UTC View Post
Dragon Age: Veilguard released yesterday and since that is one of her all-time most beloved franchises, I have a feeling I can type literally anything in this space and Liz will never know. She’s probably still in the character creator choosing which set of eyebrows is the best to communicate mild disapproval, which are exactly the eyebrows she’ll need to be wearing if she ever reads this intro.
Nailed it.
Let’s talk about what happened this week, and the stuff...
2024-11-01 21:42:10 +0000 UTC View Post