Blizzard Watch Podcast

We're waiting on a whole lot this week -- servers to come up for the Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary realms pre-patch, and for the Midnight pre-patch next week, and all the sweeping changes that brings. The team discusses the addons they'll miss and why, which also serves as a bit of a reminder to you to make sure yours are all updated, or they won't work at all come patch 12.0. There was also a really nice technical post about that Burning Crusade Anniversary pre-patch rollover, which Joe and Phil Ulrich team up to try to explain to us less enterprising folks. (That's a pun, because it involves enterprise backups to tape).

Also, oh hey, Guild Halls are coming soon to Player Housing! If you're surprised, don't worry -- so are we. This is the first time this was discussed beyond a far-reaching future possible feature, and now it's just kinda tossed off with a "coming soon," along with several other anticipated features.
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It's 2026, and the more things change, the more they stay the same. We start off with a new Hearthstone gatcha promotion, and follow it up with yet another splinter version of WoW Classic -- this time, WoW Classic Anniversary is splitting into WoW Classic Burning Crusade Anniversary and WoW Classic Classic Era Anniversary. Legion Remix is definitionally a rehash, but it's coming to an end relatively soon.

But it's not all old news! Immediately thereafter is the Midnight pre-patch, with a lot of new events and features, and a prepatch event. A new Diablo 4 expansion was just announced with a release date in the new year as well, even if it sounds very similar to the previous one, even if it does add Paladins. We also talk about all the new games we're looking forward to in 2026.

Plus, since Cory was a cohost, there was another edition of the Heroes of the Storm hopium corner. New year, same old us.
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This week we're looking back at the events of 2025, with our special guest Phil Ulrich. Rather than going at it chronologically, Matt consults a D8, which means we discuss one of our favorite things from the year which actually happened last: player housing! But there were a ton of things that happened in all of Blizzard's games this year, from Plunderstorm's return to Legion Remix, three Hearthstone expansions, and a ton of Diablo 4 seasons (though who can tell the difference between them). We also met new friends like Valentina, the lizard that was a part of a Hearthstonemarketing campaign we would die for, and King Krush, also a Hearthstone-based lizard. Probably a coincidence.

The In Memoriam section this year is Warcraft Rumble. May it rest in peace.

Then, all the other games that had us in a chokehold. But honestly, it's mostly the player housing.
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Santa Rossi is visiting us this week with player housing-related delights, like the upcoming Night Elf and Blood Elf house exteriors! But beware, if you're naughty, Joe will tell you the tale of how healing, and especially resto shaman are shaping up on the Midnight beta -- and that's a ghost story that would kill a Victorian child. Liz also has a few dire predictions for transmog future, but this month's trading post fits the theme with a blood elf-styled red and gold theme.

Plus, The Indie Awards takes a hardline anti-AI stance, which puts Clair Obscur front and center again, but in a way that would put coal in anyone's stocking.
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This week our usual hosts were joined by our Diablo Maven Liz Patt to talk about the announcement of Lord of Hatred, the next Diablo 4 expansion. Lord of Hatred was announced at The Game Awards -- though it was not related to The Statue -- and we have a ton to say about the details we have so far. Liz Patt preordered the expansion, and so therefore got to play one of two new classes, the Paladin, hands-on, and chats about it with us a bit. The other class remains a mystery, but our cohosts had some ideas for what they think the class may be, as well as what they wish it was.

We also talked about all the various winter events we're experiencing over the next few weeks in all Blizzard's games. They're only here for a short while so get your holiday fill while you can.

Plus, we ran down a bunch of little tips and tricks we've seen for player housing. We also wrote about these on the website but they're so charming we just had to get them out there twice.
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