Mod creation and distribution further simplified – the best of Blizzcon 09

“Cataclysm hits World of Warcraft!” “Diablo III Monk class gets old juices going!” “Battlestar’s Tricia Helfer to play Kerrigan!” Blizzcon dominated videogame and tech news sites and discussions boards last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday without breaking a sweat.

Held last weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center, Blizzcon is “a celebration of the Warcraft,StarCraft, and Diablo franchises and the communities that surround them,” or so says developer/publisher, and organizer of the con, Blizzard. The company owns additional properties, but they’re not as critically lauded, recognizable, and/or financially successful. Focusing on the big three’s a smart move for the company. You list your absolute best qualities and work experiences on your resume, right?

After each announcement, cheering, unending adoration, and maybe a few tears followed. Every warm body in attendance, and maybe a few thousand streaming the event online, succumbed to the will of Blizz. It’s not a cult (the integral “religion” component’s missing for that term). But spiked Kool-Aid is probably served somewhere in gaudy steins.

Other news emerged from the event, but were buried by the frenzy caused by the “major” three announcements. Who cares if Tricia Helfer lends her voice to the vindictive Kerrigan? Thousands, possibly millions, apparently. No offense to the beautiful and talented Helfer. She’s neat.

Read more at IPR's Multimedia blog.