Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct: how to watch and what to expect

In lieu of a BlizzCon announcement, Blizzard Entertainment is holding a 30th anniversary stream to celebrate the Warcraft series’ past and future.

The broadcast promises to feature all Warcraft franchises, from World of Warcraft to Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, and the even the original series entry: Warcraft: Orcs and Humans. It’ll look back at the history of Warcraft, touch on the future with the Worldsoul Saga, and maybe cap it off with a couple of surprises. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch.

When is the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct?

The anniversary direct will stream starting at 10 a.m. PT on Wednesday, November 13. There’s no word on how long it’ll be, but it’ll be followed by a “World of Warcraft: 20 Years of Music” concert, which is complete with an orchestra and three choirs.

How to watch the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct

Blizzard will be broadcasting the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct on its official Warcraft channels. It’ll be on Twitch and YouTube, although this year, it’ll also be live streaming on TikTok. You can also watch the stream inside Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, and World of Warcraft to earn rewards. Blizzard will go into more detail on these rewards at a later date.

What to expect from the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct

As expected from the title of the stream, the anniversary direct will look back at the last 30 years of Warcraft. It kicked off with Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, which was a real-time strategy game that offered multiplayer all the way back when it released on November 15, 1994. The MMO World of Warcraft pushed the series into the mainstream on November 23, 2004, so Blizzard knows how to stick to a consistent schedule. The direct will have developers from the series’ history looking back on the last 30 years.

Blizzard will also delve into the future of the franchise. It announced the Worldsoul Saga in 2023, its major storyline that’ll be revealed over three expansions. The first, The War Within, launched on August 26 this year. The other two — Midnight and The Last Titan — will complete the story by 2030. “With the Worldsoul Saga, the World of Warcraft development team aims to usher in the next era of WoW’s gameplay and storytelling with broad-reaching narratives that span multiple expansions and invites players to witness the culmination of 20 years of adventure as they step forward into the next 20 years.”

Viewers can also expect some surprises. “You won’t want to miss a moment — or a single surprise,” the blog post reads.

The stream is happening in lieu of BlizzCon in 2024. Blizzard announced earlier this year that it would not be holding an event, but is seeking to bring it back in the future. Instead, it’s been holding events and making announcements for all its franchises separately throughout the year.