Battle.net

The first day of BlizzCon 2011 has concluded, and we’ve got a look at all of the news and highlights from the Anaheim Convention Center.

Day One Headlines

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria -- The fourth World of Warcraft expansion set, Mists of Pandaria, has been unveiled! Shrouded in fog since the world was sundered more than ten thousand years ago, the ancient realm of Pandaria has remained unspoiled by war. Its lush forests and cloud-ringed mountains are home to a complex ecosystem of indigenous races and exotic creatures -- including the noble and enigmatic pandaren.

Sign Up for the World of Warcraft Annual Pass and Get Diablo III Free -- With Deathwing’s shadow looming over Azeroth and the mortal realms of Sanctuary steeling for war against the forces of Diablo, the World of Warcraft Annual Pass has arrived to offer WoW subscribers a chance to participate in both apocalyptic conflicts… without breaking the bank.

Diablo 15-Year Retrospective -- While Blizzard turned 20 this year, we’re also celebrating Diablo’s 15-year anniversary. Chris Metzen covers the past, present, and future of the Diablo franchise.

The Diablo III Collector’s Edition -- Stay awhile and listen… for the time has come to unlock the Diablo III: Collector’s Edition, and unveil the epic treasures that lie within.  Emblazoned with the alabaster hue of the High Heavens, this limited edition collector’s set slides open to reveal the following wealth of rare and legendary items.

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Teaser -- Since we originally unveiled Heart of the Swarm back in May, we’ve continued working in secret, laboring in the dark recesses of Blizzard’s sheetrock-lined offices on the dank and gloomy coast of Southern California. Today we showcased a new teaser cinematic of footage rendered entirely within the StarCraft II game engine.

Blizzard 2011 Year in Review -- It’s been an exciting year for us since BlizzCon 2010, and to illustrate that point Mike presented this Blizzard 2011 highlight reel during the opening ceremony.

Contest Winners -- Hosted live from the Main Stage at the Anaheim Convention Center and broadcast to viewers around the world, the Dance and Costume contests have always been a highlight at BlizzCon, and this year proved no different. We laughed, we cried, we cheered. More importantly, we were amazed by the exceptional amount of talent displayed by all of our participants.

Diablo III

Watch the BlizzCon 2011 Diablo III Cinematic -- Some tantalizing Diablo III cinematic footage was shown for the first time just moments ago during the BlizzCon 2011 opening ceremony and we’ve got it here for you in high definition.

The Diablo III Gameplay and Auction House Panel -- Jay Wilson, Jason Bender, Andrew Chambers, Wyatt Cheng, and Chris Haga took the main stage at BlizzCon this afternoon to offer a comprehensive look at the design and direction of Diablo III.

StarCraft II

The StarCraft II Heart of the Swarm Campaign Panel -- Matt Morris and Brian Kindregan from the StarCraft II development team took the stage today along with Chris Metzen, senior vice president of story and franchise development, to unveil the latest developments in the upcoming expansion.

The StarCraft II Multiplayer Panel -- Dustin Browder, David Kim, and Josh Menke from the StarCraft II development team took the opportunity to talk about the state of play in StarCraft II, and of course, new multiplayer units for Heart of the Swarm on the Panel Discussion stage this afternoon at BlizzCon 2011.

BlizzCon Tournament End Day 1 -- The first day of tournament action at BlizzCon 2011 was absolutely explosive. We witnessed the first six rounds of the StarCraft II Global Battle.net Invitational.

World Of Warcraft

World of Warcraft Preview Panel -- The Mists of Pandaria will open the doors to the mysterious lands of the pandaren, inviting the people of Azeroth to discover the wisdom and power of this mighty race while also exposing some of their darkest secrets. The World of Warcraft Preview panelists unveiled many of the new features, art, and gameplay changes that are coming with this next epic expansion.

World of Warcraft Class Talent System -- World of Warcraft Game Director Tom Chilton, and Lead Systems Designer Greg Street took to the stage this morning to discuss the direction of class balance for World of Warcraft, as well as the new talent system coming in Mists of Pandaria. Their panel focused on the philosophies and goals of this new system, what’s changing, and what expectations players should have as they level up in Pandaria and beyond.

The WoW Dungeons and Raids Panel -- While much of the event thus far has focused on the pandaren race, monk class, and talent system overhaul, the bigger question is what are you going to be doing with all of it? The Dungeons and Raids panel kicked off just a bit ago to answer that very question. Who are the big bad guys I need to kill, and where can I kill them?

BlizzCon Tournament End Day 1 -- The first day of tournament action at BlizzCon 2011 was absolutely explosive. We witnessed the first six rounds of the World of Warcraft Global Battle.net Invitational.