The first BlizzCon since Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard kicked off on Friday, commemorating the occasion with a fitting surprise appearance: Xbox boss Phil Spencer.
As Spencer pointed out, it also marked his first time at the annual convention in Anaheim, Calif., where he gave a brief speech at the Opening Ceremony. In it, he mentioned some of Blizzard's biggest franchises, with an especially loud reaction from the crowd when he dropped StarCraft's name.
"Throughout Blizzard's history, they've pioneered and refined so much across the gaming industry and many of you today have been a part of that journey," Spencer said on stage. "Think of Diablo - it propelled the action RPG genre forward. StarCraft spawned the foundation for what esports would eventually become, and StarCraft 2 was a major catalyst for the evolution of games as live entertainment."
"World of Warcraft changed not only how people developed and supported games, but, really, it introduced a much wider audience to the concept of online communities," he went on. "And Overwatch not only reimagined gameplay but also the representation possible in class-based shooters."
He concluded by promising that Xbox would "nurture the essence of what has made Blizzard unique," and "empower our new colleagues in a culture of trust, inclusion, and collaboration."
Spencer didn't happen to drop any news, however - not even in the form of a T-shirt tease. And despite namedropping World of Warcraft, there was no mention one way or the other about it coming to Xbox consoles, something that fans have been asking for especially after the closing of the acquisition.
More tangible developments should be coming later on Friday and Saturday as BlizzCon continues. For everything you can expect and how to watch all of it, see our breakdown, and keep up with everything announced and revealed here.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
