My 5 wishes for Blizzard Entertainment in 2026 range from a single-player Overwatch to the return of Starcraft — they may never happen, but a man can dream

Blizzard Entertainment is famous for creating incredibly popular game series like Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and StarCraft. While I’ve always enjoyed their games, there are some things I’ve wished they would do with these franchises – ideas they ultimately chose not to pursue, preferring to go in a different direction.

People are hoping to see beloved game franchises return after a long hiatus, or for new spin-off games that delve deeper into the worlds of their favorite titles.

Blizzard is celebrating its 35th anniversary, and that got me thinking about what I’d love to see the company do next. These ideas might be a bit far-fetched, but after the last few years, it feels like anything could happen!

A single-player, story-focused spin-off of Overwatch

I really enjoyed playing Overwatch, Blizzard’s team-based shooter, around 2015-2016. It combined the exciting, one-on-one fighting of Street Fighter with the fast action of a competitive first-person shooter. The game featured a bright, colorful superhero world, memorable characters, and a compelling story.

Over time, I grew less interested in playing the competitive shooting aspects of the game. I found myself enjoying the story-driven cinematic shorts and character background videos more, as I became increasingly drawn into the game’s world and its characters.

I’ve always wanted a full story mode for this game to really delve into the world of Overwatch. The temporary, wave-based PvE events and the comics just haven’t given me enough of the backstory I was hoping for.

I was incredibly excited when Blizzard announced a PvE Hero Mode for Overwatch 2, so I was really let down when they canceled it. They’ve decided to focus on player-versus-player battles and cosmetic items made through collaborations instead.

Honestly, Overwatch 2 totally lost me. I was really hoping for a game with amazing, character-driven stories – I wanted to see Tracer, Winston, Genji, Reaper, Widowmaker, and the whole cast really come to life with compelling backstories and development. That’s what I was excited about, and it just didn’t deliver.

I wasn’t interested in endless battles against other players cosplaying as characters from different franchises, like Optimus Prime or Saitama, in small, unimportant arenas.

Rather than adding a player-versus-environment mode to the main Overwatch game, I’d like to see Blizzard create a separate Overwatch game that dives deeper into its characters and world. This new game could be similar to story-rich computer role-playing games like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, featuring strategic, turn-based battles.

I’d love to see a story-driven game, similar to the movie-like experience of *Dispatch* from 2025, featuring the characters of Overwatch. They deserve to have their full backgrounds and motivations explored in a playable adventure, rather than just being used for competitive gaming and promotional appearances.

New Classes and race/class combos for World of Warcraft

I resisted playing World of Warcraft for years, but I’ve become a fan in the last two years. The Remix event was a great introduction, and I’ve really enjoyed all the updates and especially the friendly people I’ve met in my guilds.

I had a great experience with the War Within expansion and I’m excited to continue the story in World of Warcraft: Midnight. I’m especially looking forward to trying out the new features like being able to decorate player housing, the Hunt activity, and the new Devourer Demon Hunter specialization, among other things.

I’d love to see Blizzard expand the game with new classes and some unique race and class pairings, though overall it’s already great.

The first new class I want would be a class similar to the Machinist Job from Final Fantasy XIV.

This class, playfully called the Tinkerer by my guildmates, focuses on using firearms, unique gadgets, and summoning massive mechs to overwhelm opponents in combat.

You could choose a damage-focused role that involves using guns, lasers, and bombs. Alternatively, you could play a healer who uses robotic arms and gadgets to support your team, or a tank who pilots a powerful mech to protect everyone from enemy attacks.

As a tech enthusiast, I’m really excited about the idea of a dedicated mechanic class. It would be amazing for races like Goblins and Gnomes – they’re known for having some of the most innovative and wild technology in the Warcraft universe, and this class would finally let that shine!

Wouldn’t it be amazing to actually *fight* with vehicles like the Goblin Shredder or Mechagon battle tanks, instead of just using them to get around? Imagine taking them into a raid boss fight!

You can customize how Mechagnome Tinkerers use their abilities with unique appearances. Instead of summoning gadgets and weapons, their bodies can actually *become* those tools and weapons.

Actually, instead of riding mechs in the Tank Spec, players using Mechagnome Tinkerers can transform into a large, Mimiron-inspired robot by merging their bodies with their tools. Mimiron is a well-known and iconic boss from World of Warcraft raids.

As a researcher of player motivations, I’ve always been fascinated by the desire for impactful customization. Personally, if I could design a character class, I’d love to play as a Mechagnome Tinkerer capable of piloting a massive robot armed with rockets and flamethrowers – a fitting response, I think, to the powerful creations of Mimiron!

I’d love to see a Bard class added to World of Warcraft, taking inspiration from the game’s famous band, the Elite Tauren Chieftain. This class would help allies by playing supportive melodies, and damage enemies with powerful guitar solos.

Unlike typical depictions, this Bard isn’t limited to just a harp. They’re a versatile musician, able to play many instruments and create different effects based on the music they perform – almost like a one-person band.

Imagine a Bard class that deals damage by playing an electric guitar, unleashing powerful lightning strikes or area-of-effect sound blasts.

The game could also include a support role focused on healing through calming synthwave music or boosting damage with powerful 80s ballads.

Imagine a Bard class that tanks by playing the drums! They could use rhythmic beats to attract enemy attention, then unleash powerful solos that create earthquakes, knocking foes off balance.

I think it would be awesome if the new Dracthyr race could become Death Knights. The concept of playing as an undead frost dragon is really appealing!

I’m not sure how Dracthyr could become Death Knights without a Lich King, and I’m unsure what The Ebon Blade would think, but I’m hoping it’s possible.

I’d love to see Goblin Paladins added to the game. Goblins have already proven they can achieve powerful roles, like Shamans, by using technology to harness elemental energy. So, why not let them use a similar approach to tap into the power of light and become Paladins?

It would be funny to imagine Goblins as Paladins. Instead of noble heroes, they’d be heavily armored tax collectors, ruthlessly pursuing those who owe money to the powerful cartels of Undermine.

A new Warcraft strategy game

I’d love to see Blizzard create a new Warcraft strategy game similar to the classic Warcraft RTS games, even though I’m not very good at them myself. I know it’s a long shot, but it would be amazing!

I first discovered the amazing world of Warcraft through Warcraft 3, and it really stuck with me! I have such great memories of building up my armies and battling others, and the single-player campaigns were incredible. That’s where I first met characters who became instant favorites – Thrall, Arthas, Illidan, Jaina, and so many more. It was a truly epic experience!

It’s no longer feasible for a new Warcraft real-time strategy game to continue the main storyline, as that’s now handled by World of Warcraft and other lore sources. Any new RTS game would need to be a separate story, set in a different location with new characters.

I wouldn’t mind that at all, as long as I could once again lead an army of Orcs, Trolls, and Tauren, quickly overwhelming my opponents with the Bloodlust ability while shouting “FOR THE HORDE!” I really miss being the one *in charge* of the Horde, instead of just following orders.

A new Starcraft game

Aside from Warcraft 3, another Blizzard RTS I often played in my childhood was StarCraft.

This groundbreaking strategy game captivated players in the 1990s with its quick action, immersive story campaigns, diverse and interesting factions, and exciting player-versus-player battles, all of which are still enjoyed by fans today.

As a long-time fan, I was so excited when StarCraft returned with StarCraft 2 in the 2010s. But honestly, it’s been pretty quiet since then. The last major update was back in 2017, when they made the multiplayer, co-op, and the first campaign completely free to play – which was awesome, but things have been still since.

Like many longtime fans of Blizzard games from the late 90s and early 2000s, I’d love to see a new StarCraft game. I really enjoyed playing as the different races – the resourceful Terrans, the stealthy Protoss, and the powerful Zerg – and miss the fast-paced action of commanding armies and destroying my opponents.

I’d be happy if the rumors about StarCraft being a major focus at Blizzcon 2026 and receiving a new third-person shooter game prove to be accurate.

Games such as Warhammer 40,000: Space Marines 2 demonstrate that there’s still a strong audience for action games where players take on the role of powerful, elite soldiers – a classic power fantasy experience.

Being able to play Diablo 4 offline

One last thing I would like to see from Blizzard in the future is giving Diablo 4 an offline mode.

Of all the popular Blizzard games, I’ve spent the least time with Diablo. When I was younger, I just wasn’t very interested, and I tended to prefer games with brighter visuals and a lot of loot to collect, like Borderlands and Monster Hunter.

I gave Diablo 4 a try after my colleague Jez Corden gave it a perfect 5/5 star review last year. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it. The servers were really laggy, my internet connection wasn’t reliable, and I didn’t find any of the character classes interesting when the game first came out.

I might revisit Diablo 4 in 2026. The new Paladin class looks really appealing, the game’s online servers have improved a lot since it first came out, and I’ve upgraded my home internet, so I don’t deal with lag as much anymore.

I’d still really like to see an offline mode added to Diablo 4, even though the game is great as it is. It would be nice to be able to play the story campaign without needing an internet connection, especially when my internet service goes down or experiences lag.

Diablo 3 added offline play near the end of its run. Why isn’t the same option available for Diablo 4?

I’d really like offline mode to be added to Diablo 4 sooner rather than later. Waiting until the game is fully finished could mean a long wait – I might even be playing something else by then, and I’m worried I’ll lose interest.

Here’s to 35 more years of Blizzard Entertainment

Even with everything that’s happened, I still love playing Blizzard games! I plan to keep enjoying them with my friends and family for years to come.

I’m really excited to find out what Blizzard is planning for its games when BlizzCon comes back after being on hold for three years, starting September 12, 2026.

2026-01-18 23:28