Blizzard Entertainment just revealed a fundamental shift in how it plans to operate going forward. In a Bloomberg interview, Blizzard president Johanna Faries outlined an ambitious new strategy: delivering one to two major releases every calendar year. This represents a dramatic departure from the studio’s historically unpredictable release schedule that often saw years pass between major launches. Under Microsoft’s ownership, Blizzard is transforming into a more consistent, portfolio-driven operation focused on feeding hungry fans with regular content.
The Five Year Plan
Johanna Faries, who stepped into the Blizzard president role in January 2024, isn’t thinking in quarterly terms or even annual cycles. She’s mapping out Blizzard’s future in five-year frameworks, with a clear emphasis on leveraging the studio’s legendary intellectual properties. Rather than chasing completely new franchises or risky experimental projects, Blizzard plans to double down on what it does best: World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and the rest of its iconic catalog.
The strategy involves expanding these established worlds with both full expansions and potentially new spin-off titles. Faries pointed to Hearthstone as an example of this approach working successfully. That card game took World of Warcraft characters, spells, and lore and created an entirely separate experience that attracted millions of players. Similarly, Heroes of the Storm demonstrated how Blizzard could unite characters from multiple franchises into a cohesive new game. This cross-pollination approach appears central to the five-year vision.
Why the Schedule Matters
Faries explained the reasoning behind committing to consistent releases with refreshing candor. She emphasized that fans are hungry for content and crave reliability from Blizzard. Players want to know what’s coming next rather than enduring radio silence for years at a time. Her quote on this point cuts straight to the heart of the strategy shift.
By looking at Blizzard’s portfolio holistically and ensuring at least one to two major releases hit each calendar year, the studio can maintain market visibility and sustained fan engagement. This approach prevents the long droughts that historically plagued Blizzard between major launches. Fans who follow World of Warcraft might not care about Diablo content, but the overall Blizzard community stays engaged and active when something new arrives regularly across different franchises.
What Counts as a Major Release
An important clarification: Blizzard’s definition of major releases includes both brand new games and substantial expansions for existing titles. This broader interpretation gives the studio flexibility while still delivering meaningful content that justifies marketing campaigns and generates revenue spikes. Both World of Warcraft: Midnight and Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred qualify as major releases under this framework despite being expansions rather than entirely new games.
This definition matters because it sets realistic expectations. Blizzard isn’t promising two completely new AAA games every year, which would be unsustainable even for a studio of their size and resources. Instead, they’re committing to substantial content drops across their portfolio, whether that means launching a new expansion with months of content, releasing a new game mode that significantly changes how players engage with an existing title, or potentially launching spin-off games in established universes.
2026 Kicks Off the New Era
Blizzard isn’t waiting to implement this strategy. Two massive releases are already locked in for 2026, demonstrating exactly what the annual cadence will look like in practice.
World of Warcraft: Midnight
Launching March 2, 2026, World of Warcraft: Midnight represents the second part of the ambitious Worldsoul Saga and the 11th overall expansion for the legendary MMO. This expansion promises significant new features beyond the standard new zones and story content. Player housing finally arrives in WoW after decades of fan requests, complete with Community Hubs where players can live next to each other and collaborate in neighborhood environments.
Monthly neighborhood-wide activities will bring communities together, offering themed decorations and new NPCs as rewards for participation. The expansion centers around facing Xal’atath, the Harbinger, and the Void as the primary antagonists. Players who purchase any edition of Midnight get Housing Early Access starting December 2, 2025, giving them a head start on decorating and establishing their neighborhoods before the full expansion launches.
Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred
Following just two months later on April 28, 2026, Diablo 4’s second expansion Lord of Hatred delivers another massive content drop. Two new classes join the roster, including the confirmed Paladin and one mystery class still under wraps. The expansion introduces Skovos, a brand new region described as the ancient birthplace of the firstborn civilization and the former home of both Lilith and Inarius.
Skovos offers diverse geography spanning volcanic western lands, lush eastern forests, and waterlogged sunken areas filled with crumbling temples and dangerous shores. Exploration reveals new monster types, towns, dungeons, and hidden secrets throughout. Beyond the new region and classes, Lord of Hatred overhauls core systems with skill tree reworks for all eight classes, new skill variants, increased level caps, and a highly requested loot filter system.
The endgame receives special attention with War Plans, a new system letting players craft their own endgame progression by selecting favorite activities and applying modifiers for better rewards. Echoing Hatred provides an unending demon-slaying challenge for build testing, while fishing activities offer peaceful respite between combat sessions.
The Microsoft Effect
This strategic pivot clearly reflects Microsoft’s influence following their acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Under previous ownership, Blizzard operated with a different philosophy that prioritized polish and quality over predictable release schedules. Games would ship when ready, even if that meant multi-year delays. While this approach produced legendary titles, it also created frustrating content droughts and unpredictable revenue streams.
Microsoft brings a more structured, business-oriented approach that demands consistent output. The gaming giant manages massive portfolios across multiple studios and understands the value of maintaining regular market presence. Blizzard’s shift toward annual major releases aligns with how Microsoft manages other first-party studios, creating predictable content calendars that keep Game Pass subscribers engaged and generate steady revenue.
FAQs
What does Blizzard mean by one to two major releases per year?
Major releases include both brand new games and substantial expansions for existing titles like World of Warcraft or Diablo 4. This definition gives Blizzard flexibility to deliver significant content across their portfolio without necessarily launching entirely new games every year.
When does World of Warcraft: Midnight release?
World of Warcraft: Midnight launches globally on March 2, 2026, at 3 PM PST. Players who purchase any edition of the expansion get early access to the new Housing system starting December 2, 2025.
What new features come with WoW: Midnight?
Midnight introduces player housing with Community Hubs where neighbors can live together and participate in monthly neighborhood activities. The expansion continues the Worldsoul Saga storyline focusing on Xal’atath, the Harbinger, and the Void as primary antagonists.
When is Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred coming?
Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred releases April 28, 2026. This is the second expansion for Diablo 4 and includes two new classes, a new region called Skovos, skill tree reworks for all classes, and major endgame system updates.
What are the new Diablo 4 classes?
The Paladin is confirmed as one of the two new classes arriving with Lord of Hatred. Blizzard hasn’t revealed the second new class yet, keeping it as a mystery for future announcements.
Is Blizzard making new games or just expansions?
Blizzard’s five-year strategy focuses on leveraging existing franchises, which could mean both expansions for current games and potential spin-off titles in established universes. President Johanna Faries mentioned games like Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm as examples of how Blizzard can create new experiences within existing IPs.
How has Microsoft changed Blizzard?
Under Microsoft ownership, Blizzard has shifted from an unpredictable release schedule to a more structured approach with planned annual content drops. This creates more reliable revenue streams and keeps fans engaged consistently rather than enduring multi-year content droughts.
Will Blizzard still focus on quality with faster releases?
Blizzard’s strategy includes both new content and expansions, which theoretically allows them to maintain quality standards while delivering regular releases. By planning releases across their portfolio rather than forcing every franchise to ship annually, individual teams can take necessary development time while other franchises fill the release calendar.
Conclusion
Blizzard Entertainment stands at a crossroads between its legacy as a studio that shipped when ready and its future as a predictable content machine under Microsoft’s portfolio management. The commitment to one or two major releases annually represents a pragmatic middle ground that should satisfy both business demands and fan expectations. By defining major releases broadly to include substantial expansions alongside potential new games, Blizzard gives itself flexibility to deliver meaningful content without compromising on the polish and quality that built its reputation. The upcoming 2026 double-header of World of Warcraft: Midnight and Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred will serve as the first real test of this new approach. If both expansions deliver the depth and quality fans expect while hitting their release windows, Blizzard will prove it can operate on a consistent schedule without sacrificing what made it legendary. Success could establish a sustainable model for managing massive live-service franchises while maintaining market relevance. Failure would vindicate critics who argue Blizzard’s magic requires time and space that annual release mandates can’t accommodate. Either way, the gaming industry will be watching closely as one of its most iconic studios attempts its biggest operational transformation in decades.