BlizzCon Tickets Go On Sale May 16, Event To Be Streamed Online
Blizzard’s fourth annual convention of all things WarCraft, Starcraft and Diablo touches down in Anaheim, California this August. The highly coveted, hard-to-come-by first tickets to BlizzCon 09 go on sale May 16th.
If you plan on going, you’d better prepare, as getting one’s hands on BlizzCon tickets is no easy quest. But Blizzard’s streamlining the process this year, in an attempt to avoid the hair-ripping frustration World of Warcraft and StarCraft fans experienced in years prior. That includes upgrades to the online Blizzard Store, “including a first-come, first-served queue system and a fixed time limit for completing purchases.”
Blizzard recommends that, in the unlikely event that you don’t already have one, but plan on attending BlizzCon anyway, you register for a Battle.net account before tickets go on sale.
And if you do happen to miss out on first day sales, a second block of tickets to BlizzCon 09 will arrive on May 30th.
Failing that, Blizzard will be once again offering a Pay Per View option to BlizzCon attending wannabes, via DirecTV. The $US39.95 USD package offers “a minimum of eight hours of live HD coverage from the show floor on each day of the convention, including exclusive interviews, demos, and more.”
Finally, if you’d prefer to stream your BlizzCon coverage streamed through the internet’s tubes, you can do that do. The cost is also $US39.95 USD. Blizzard uberfans who opt for the Pay Per View version will have access to the online stream at no extra charge.
And both parties will also get the BlizzCon-exclusive World of Warcraft in-game item, horribly devaluing its aftermarket cost.
For even more details, check the official announcement.
BLIZZCON®2009 TICKETS ON SALE MAY 16 [Blizzard]
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
@pocketsfriend: I've seen more impressive belt buckles in Texas.
Bouchart
@Flawless101: The Emerald Dream expansion for World of Warcraft.
Johnny_Under
@Cheroro: That's his left arm.
I will just wait for you guys to give me the good news.
@Graham:
Or a big black dildo.
lmao, that video was fantastic.
CustomFirmware
Good luck getting a ticket though
5$ says the blizz servers crash in 5 mins of purchasing
Yoshiarecool
@CustomFirmware: You can't have bro rape without a Gamecube. Blizzcon is Gamecube-free.
Graham
@Struct09:
Yea, considering its a guy. Wouldn't want any BRO-RAPE now would you?
CustomFirmware
@Flawless101:
Starcraft: Ghost.
CustomFirmware
Can I please have a new Blackthorne announcement?
dry-roasted-peanuts
@Nirolak: Maybe it's a ghost in the literal sense.
@MagnusGman: I wouldn't ask your date to go if I were you
I'm just a WoW nerd, so I'm pretty much just excited about being able to get the item without having to go to Cali, being from the Midwest and all.
morcant
The ladies back at Harrogoth must have been easy for that barb to get with Diablos skull as a god damn belt buckle.
pocketsfriend
Release date for Diablo 3 would be awsome
@DeadDuck: No kidding! We're gonna be in the next Blizzcon before we have our beta from the last Blizzcon!
Graham
Blizzcon was AWESOME last year, especially the concert. Still waiting on that SCII beta, Blizzard.
Ummm, whats up with the ghost? and the plasma like liquidy thing its gun is emitting.....
I'll be there.
Graham
I wanna go....but, can I work with the date...
MagnusGman
Is that ghost... neon green?
That has to be the least effective cloak I have ever seen.
It's a great experience... but it's really only worth it for whatever 'key' they give out if you've already been there once. If you are in the area i highly suggest going, there is plenty non-wow stuff.
@Flawless101: Starcraft MMO most likely.
WoW 2 if they want to blow minds.
Lost Vikings MMO if they want to completely explode the universe.
I wonder what will be annouced this year. :D
@Gargus:
But that 100 dollars (or 39 bucks in this case) is earned back with a simple ebaying of your in-game WoW item.
Seriously. You're not really paying for it in the end, and you might wind up making a buck or two.
@vamp07: I'll settle for a fourth class.
WingsOfDaidalos
The greed of blizzard in doing this always made me laugh. They charge you 100 bucks to go to their show every year that only has their products (of which are very few and only come out every 3 or 4 years, so atleast 2 years in a row they have nothing new) and charge you to watch it on tv?
Ive been to other companies open days like this when I was still a visioneer for activision (well before they got rid of us all) and none of them charged and still gave out swag.
100 bucks to hear a company only talk about their products. Granted diablo, warcraft and starcraft are good products but its all they got.
@Gargus: you know it's not free to run these kind of events ya know?
dashyt2dafulliz
@Gargus: Ah, you're assuming they make a profit off the event, while the exact opposite has been hinted at a few times.
Let's say 15k attendees at $125 each. That's almost 1.9million dollars. Looking at the convention center rates I'd guess it's about half a million just to rent the space. Then there's union costs for setting up the entire show floor, lighting, audio, A/V. Powering a few thousand computers. Catering. Staff. Security. The comedians/musicians they pay for closing ceremony. God knows what else. There's no way they make money on it.
You could write it off then as great marketing, spending money to make money. But remember, these are people who already play their games. Die hard Blizzard fans. So then what is it except an event to invite the most devoted players to come and celebrate in the games?
If you want to dump on DirecTV for snagging the rights to broadcast the show and charging for it, then whatever, but I don't believe that Blizzard is greedy. Not for a second.
sanskrit
StarCraft 2 release date and more Diablo 3 classes pl0x!
They're going to announce Rock'n Roll Racing 2 for Wii!
Mlata
@Flawless101: The date of Starcraft 2 and maybe another character for Diablo 3.
nomadder
@Nirolak: He is most likely on his way to infiltrate a rave party.
Talk about overrated. I went to Blizzcon last year and was bored after 1 hour. It's a wall to wall people convention where you can barely even move around.
But to those of you who are going, a suggestion please - shower before you go. Seriously.
Seems like the only real news they could release would be that new unannounced IP they've been dabbling with for a couple of years - to be released in 2016...
@Nirolak: It's obviously an attempt at amazing the enemy by how tacticool he is.
SwissArmyKnife
I enjoy Blizzard products a great deal, but one of the least enjoyable things I can imagine is being in a crowded room full of sweaty teenagers in southern California in the middle of summer.
MightyCow
Rock and Roll Racing 2
Do it Blizzard.
@sanskrit: See if Blizzard held their con in a "right to work" state. They could save a boatload of money because they could hire scab labor... or migrant laborers.
In all seriousness though, I'm pretty sure Blizzcon is break-even at best. And if I remember correctly Blizzard puts it on all by themselves. id software at least gets sponsors to help foot the bill for QuakeCon.
MrEvil
@Nirolak: Oh that's a ghost... that rifle looks automatic to me.
hanulbada
@Yoshiarecool: That happend last time, I'm sure they will have everything ready to go and will be ready to take on an enormous amount of people on the site at once.
omgCRAZY
@Cheroro: No idea but it looks freaking awesome!
omgCRAZY
@Zaos: Starcraft II Beta keys inc!
omgCRAZY