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Blizzard gamescom 2017 show live report

Overwatch! Hearthstone! World of Warcraft? All of this and more, live from 5pm BST.

At 5pm tonight Blizzard will be hosting its grandly titled 'reveal ceremony' on its Gamescom stage (and in the stream embed below). This is distinct from the preview stream on Monday evening which already saw a bunch of announcements - including the Junkertown map for Overwatch and Kel'Thuzad's arrival in Heroes of the Storm - so we're not quite sure what to expect, but at the very least there'll be more detail on the new content for all the studio's games. Outside chance of a World of Warcraft expansion tease, too…

Our live coverage of this event has finished.

Hey everybody! Almost time for MAXIMUM BLIZZARD.

Oli Welsh

They're showing some cartoons to warm us up, which is nice.

Oli Welsh

I'll be filling in for Martin because he doesn't really know anything about Blizzard games. One Gamescom, I had to live-coach him about Diablo online while he was sitting in a preview for Reaper of Souls.

Oli Welsh

It's a good thing for him he shares my other loves (Nintendo and cars) really.

Oli Welsh

It looks like we won't have major new announcements this evening. The World of Warcraft team will be presenting, but just about the next content patch for Legion.

Oli Welsh

And we know we will get to see the new Overwatch animated short.

Oli Welsh

With nothing from Gamescom, the next WOW expansion seems bound to be announced at BlizzCon in November.

Oli Welsh

Bit of an odd strategy from Blizzard this year - hosting a canned preview stream on the Monday with new announcements (like the Junkertown map for Overwatch and Kel'Thuzad coming to Heroes), which doesn't leave much left for this live event for fans...

Oli Welsh

Holy cow, look at the size of that crowd.

Oli Welsh

For such an American company, Germany is really their second home.

Oli Welsh

Hearthstone up first.

Oli Welsh

MrSnakeCake: Blizzard uses BlizCon for their announces

True, although Legion was announced at Gamescom two years ago.

Oli Welsh

Hearthstone's first co-op raid against the Lich King starts on Friday, which we knew already, but it turns out the Germacon attendees have already kicked his butt. Wonder if they got any legendary Pokémon from it.

Oli Welsh

THE LICH KING CAN NEVER DIE, HE IS ETERNAL.

Chris Bratt

Hey Oli!

Chris Bratt

I feel like I've killed him an awful lot for that.

Oli Welsh

Supra_Hans: There're a lot of people there for what is likely to be a fairly mediocre briefing...

The passion of Blizzard fans is something else. The energy at BlizzCon is off the charts.

Oli Welsh

Something else they do well - CG trailers and short films. Here's one with a cute mouse in it.

Oli Welsh

I have a glitchy stream though and it's making the sound wobble like this is playing on an old VHS tape.

Oli Welsh

Oh my goodness, this is a delight.

Chris Bratt

That Druid at the back looks like Getafix?!

Oli Welsh

Imagine an Asterix/Warcraft crossover.

Oli Welsh

Altogether now... no... one's... slick like Gaston, no one's quick as Gaston, no one's neck's as incredibly thick as Gaston's!

Oli Welsh

Well, that's Blizzard having won Gamescom as far as I'm concerned.

Chris Bratt

Imagine having the money to commission a short like that just to celebrate a years-old live game. And the skills to make it yourselves.

Oli Welsh

Eva, the girl, and the rest of the cast of the short, will appear in some comics and stuff, too. Pure fan love.

Oli Welsh

Here's another of Monday's announcements - Kel'Thuzad in Heroes of the Storm. We're going to get a first look at his spotlight video showing what he can do.

Oli Welsh

Sorry, was just googling how to spell Kel'Thuzad.

Chris Bratt

Most requested hero, apparently. Plus end boss of Naxxramas, the greatest WOW raid ever. probably the greatest MMO raid ever.

Oli Welsh

Pretty cool how all of his abilities can *chain* together, huh?

Chris Bratt

Chain, Oli.

Chris Bratt

Oli?

Chris Bratt

:|

Oli Welsh

I don't know what that skin is but it's amazing.

Oli Welsh

There's a documentary on the making of Kel'Thuzad next week, plus a big launch event for him in-game, some themed skins etc. They are really pushing this - and making the most of the links to WOW, Warcraft 3 and Hearthstone.

Oli Welsh

You'd think Heroes' links to so many other popular Blizzard games would help it more than they have.

Oli Welsh

WOW next! Here's Ion! Which is disappointingly pronounced more like Ian than I-on.

Oli Welsh

World of Warcraft up next! I spoke with Hazzikostas a few hours ago. No expansion announcement today, he said.

Chris Bratt

Here's a preview of patch 7.3 for Legion. Legion is so so good, but I haven't played since 7.1.

Oli Welsh

Shadows of Argus and oh my that was Illidan there.

Oli Welsh

Quizzed him about legacy servers (again). That interview will be up post-Gamescom.

Chris Bratt

No, don't do this again.

Oli Welsh

DO NOT TRY TO EXPLAIN WOW LORE LIVE ON STAGE.

Oli Welsh

It never ends well.

Oli Welsh

I didn't mind it when Chris Metzen did it.

Chris Bratt

Anyway, this sounds like quite the update. Multiple new playable regions on Argus.

Oli Welsh

I've enjoyed Legion, but I think I'm done with the colour green for a little bit.

Chris Bratt

Bertie: I've always been impressed with how much Blizzard stuffs into the major WOW patches. They always come across more like expansions.

Yeah - it's like the expansions are new games, and the patches are expansions. Just insane amounts of content being produced by what is far from the biggest dev team in the business.

Oli Welsh

Hggggggn I want to play again so much.

Oli Welsh

In-game cinematic. Now we're talking!

Chris Bratt

Illidan, there, using a lot of words to tell the Draenei they're not prepared.

Chris Bratt

Overwatch time!

Oli Welsh

Overwatch time! Hey, I interviewed this man too.

Chris Bratt

30 million players. That's a pretty big video game.

Oli Welsh

Oli, we keep saying the same thing when a new game turns up. We're so in sync!

Chris Bratt

Really looking forward to another animated short here.

Chris Bratt

Blizzard statue fans: there's a new life-size Junkrat being displayed at Gamescom. No word on whether it uses real human hair.

Chris Bratt

MEI?!

Chris Bratt

IS IT A MEI ONE?!

Chris Bratt

IT IS A MEI ONE. YES, PALS.

Chris Bratt

(Blizzard has a department called Story and Franchise Development.) WAIT MEI?

Oli Welsh

She has a murloc coffee mug. Everything is great.

Chris Bratt

Everything is not as great now.

Chris Bratt

Oooo, that has to be a new skin!

Chris Bratt

Only just clocked she's wearing an old Sumer Games t-shirt. Gosh, they're so good at this.

Chris Bratt

NO LITTLE ROBOT FRIEND DON'T YOU DO IT

Chris Bratt

He did it Chris.

Oli Welsh

SNOWBALLLLL!

Oli Welsh

Really enjoyed Snowball's animated short. Cool Mei cameo too.

Chris Bratt

That was great but Asterix and the Hearthstone and the Beast wins.

Oli Welsh

Yeah, I'm with you there.

Chris Bratt

No major announcements but some good detail on WOW there, and some fantastic videos. It was fun.

Oli Welsh

That's us done then? Better get working on these Blizzard interviews!

Chris Bratt

Blizzard streaming Destiny 2 later. I look forward to the Bungie merger soon.

Oli Welsh

I'm off, but here's another chance to watch the Hearthstone song. Laters!

Oli Welsh