IRVINE, California—Blizzard Entertainment Inc. has announced plans for its fourth BlizzCon gaming convention, to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, on Friday, August 21, and Saturday, August 22. BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo universes. In response to the festival's increasing popularity, this year's event has been expanded from three convention halls to four.

"We've been amazed by the incredible response to each of our previous BlizzCon events," said Mike Morhaime, chief executive officer and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We're pleased to be bringing the convention back to Anaheim this year, and we look foward to this new opportunity to meet Blizzard gamers from around the world."

BlizzCon will offer a wide variety of activities throughout the two-day event. In addition to serving as a gathering place for Blizzard Entertainment gaming communities, attendees will be able to enjoy:

• Hands-on play time with upcoming Blizzard Entertainment games.


• Discussion panels with Blizzard Entertainment developers.


• Competitive and casual tournaments for players to showcase their talents.


• Community contests with great prizes.


• Commemorative merchandise based on Blizzard Entertainment's game universes.


• A silent auction.


• More exciting activities and attractions to be announced.