Congratulations once again to the winners of the tournament stage matches at BlizzCon 2009!

- Warcraft III Winner: Lyn (Korea)
- StarCraft Winner: Effort (Korea)
- World of Warcraft Arena Winner: TSG (North America)

If you want to relive your favorite moments from this year’s tournaments, we’ve got you covered. The Videos on Demand (VODs) for the featured stage matches from the World of Warcraft and RTS stages are now available on our video archive for your viewing pleasure. You can also find the Warcraft III and StarCraft replays on our tournament brackets, which feature most of the games that weren’t shown on stage. Please note that you need to have the appropriate game installed to view the replays. Don’t forget to check out the exciting matches of your favorite teams and players.

Additional photos from BlizzCon have been sorted into our Partner Booth and Dance Contest Gallery. You can view other galleries by selecting the dropdown menu at the top right of the galleries page. Thanks for all of your photo submissions.

We've updated our BlizzCon photo galleries with a new gallery featuring n00bz figures at BlizzCon. You can view other galleries by selecting the dropdown menu at the top right of the galleries page.

We've updated our BlizzCon photo galleries with a new gallery featuring Murlocs at BlizzCon. You can view other galleries by selecting the dropdown menu at the top right of the galleries page.

We've updated our BlizzCon photo galleries with a new gallery featuring groups of costumes seen at BlizzCon. You can view other galleries by selecting the dropdown menu at the top right of the galleries page.

We've posted another photo gallery from BlizzCon 2009: a 219-image collection of the creative costumes that attendees wore to the show. You can view other galleries by selecting the drop-down menu at the top right of the galleries page.

Additional photos from BlizzCon have been sorted into our BlizzCon General Gallery. You can view other galleries by selecting the dropdown menu at the top right of the galleries page.

We've updated our BlizzCon photo galleries with a new gallery featuring the honorable mentions in the Costume Contest.

We've updated our BlizzCon photo galleries with a new gallery featuring the winner of the Costume Contest.

We’ve updated our BlizzCon 2009 contest page with the winners from each of the contests. Additionally, you can now download the winning entries for the movie and song contests. Congratulations to each of our winners, and thank you for being part of BlizzCon 2009.

We previewed some of the winners of our BlizzCon movie and song contests at the show, and now you can check out each of the winning entries in their entirety on the BlizzCon 2009 contest page. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Last week, we spotlighted a barrage of BlizzCon-based previews, interviews, panel reports, and more from around the Web. Since then, the flow of articles hasn’t stopped, and we’ve selected a few more interesting pieces for your reading enjoyment. Check out the list below:

-Bitmob: Assorted Interview Tidbits
-Eurogamer: StarCraft II Hands-On
-Joystiq: StarCraft II Interview
-Wired: StarCraft II Q&A
-Crispy Gamer: Diablo III Preview
-GameSetWatch: Diablo III Sandwasp Shoot'em Up
Joystiq: Diablo III Interview
-Crispy Gamer: Cataclysm Preview
-IGN: BlizzCon Round Table

We've been collecting coverage of this past weekend's BlizzCon 2009 from around the Web, and have compiled a small fraction of it here for you to catch up on anything you may have missed, or just read more about your favorites. Whether you're interested in hands-on write-ups of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, detailed information about Diablo III’s monk class, news from StarCraft II’s panels, a peek into the future of Battle.net, scads of pictures from the costume contest, or anything else that emerged from BlizzCon, take a look at the links below.

BlizzCon General Coverage
-GameSetWatch
-Game Videos
-IGN PC: BlizzCon 2009 Coverage
-Kotaku: The Show So Far
-Joystiq: Ozzy Osbourne Closes Show Down
-GameSpy
-Joystiq: Day One Round-up
-IGN PC: Ozzy Osbourne Interview
-Slashdot
-GameSpot
-Kotaku: Stuff You Can Buy at BlizzCon
-1UP
-IGN PC: BlizzCon Keynote Full of Surprises

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
-IGN PC: Cataclysm Hands-on
-Kotaku: The Lands Beyond the Cataclysm
-Kotaku: Hands-on With Cataclysm's Goblins and Worgen
-Wired
-Eurogamer
-Joystiq
-GameSpot: Cataclysm Hands-on
-GameSpot: World of Warcraft Panel Sees Cataclysmic Changes
-GameSpy: Cataclysm Preview Panel Report
-GameSpy: Dungeons and Raids Galore
-GameSpy: Hands-on with World of Warcraft's Worgen Race
-WarCry: Cataclysm Part 1: Old Villains, New Races
-WarCry: Cataclysm Part 2: The World Reshaped
-WarCry: Cataclysm Part 3: Dungeons With Dragons

Diablo III
-GameSpy: Details on Diablo III's Monk
-GameSpot: Video: BlizzCon 09 Interview
-WarCry: Hands on with Diablo III's Monk
-GameSpy
-Voodoo Extreme
-IGN PC: Diablo III Monk Hands-on
-IGN PC: Diablo III Q&A
-Kotaku
-GameTrailers: Video Interview
-Destructoid

StarCraft II
-IGN PC
-Gamasutra
-Joystiq: BSG's Tricia Helfer to voice StarCraft II's Kerrigan
-Kotaku: Tricia Helfer is StarCraft II's Kerrigan
-Kotaku: Keeping Things Fresh in the StarCraft II Expansions
-Joystiq: StarCraft II Map Editor Flexibility
-Gamasutra: StarCraft II will Allow Modders to Sell Custom Maps
-Shacknews

Battle.net
-IGN PC
-WarCry
-Kotaku
-GameSpy
-Shacknews
-Joystiq
-Voodoo Extreme

You can now check out all the images of BlizzCon attendees taken throughout the weekend at the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, StarCraft II, and Diablo III themed photo booths. Head over to the BlizzCon website, browse the pictures, and download your favorites now.

If you attend BlizzCon 2009 and bring a camera along, we want to see your pictures. Send your best photos of the event, particularly from Friday's contests, to blizzconweb@blizzard.com. We'll collect the finest of your submissions and post them on the site for all to see. Take a look at 2007's BlizzCon photo gallery to get a sense of what we're looking for.

BlizzCon 2009 has officially come to an end! Ozzy Osbourne's thunderous performance brought down the roof of the Anaheim Convention Center; Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain escaped through the hole in their stetched zeppelin and headed to their next gig in Orgrimmar; and at least half of the audience members survived.

We'd like to thank everyone who helped to make this year's show a success, including comedian Jay Mohr, who hosted the contests on Friday evening, Ozzy Osbourne, and all of our partners and sponsors, including ASUS, DIRECTV, Intel, Mountain Dew, NVIDIA, and Razer. Most of all, we'd like to thank the community of gamers – without your dedication and support, BlizzCon wouldn't be possible.

You can check out some of the highlights from this year's show on www.blizzcon.com, from the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm announcement to the Diablo III monk reveal to the new details on what players can expect from the updated Battle.net when it launches with StarCraft II. And there's still more photos and other post-show updates to come, so be sure stay tuned to www.BlizzCon.com.

The fourth BlizzCon is underway, and we'll be giving players a look at the new game features and upcoming developments discussed in some of the World of Warcraft, Diablo III, and StarCraft II panels throughout the show. We'll be updating www.blizzcon.com with new information from the panels regularly, so be sure to check back often.

World of Warcraft Dungeons & Raids – Delve deeper into the philosophies behind the design of the game's most epic player-versus-environment (PvE) encounters.

World of Warcraft Game Systems – Learn more about the mechanics that make World of Warcraft tick.

World of Warcraft Classes, Items, and Professions – Check out what's in store for World of Warcraft classes, professions, and items in the future.

StarCraft II Battle.net Discussion – At the StarCraft II Battle.net developer panel on Friday afternoon, we gave players a first look at some of the cool new community and communication features that will be coming with the relaunched Battle.net online-gaming service, along with info on how it'll all be integrated with StarCraft II. Check out new details about Battle.net's state-of-the-art matchmaking system, achievement system, social networking features, and more in our new Battle.net FAQ

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Panel – Learn more devastating details about World of Warcraft's third expansion, Cataclysm.

Diablo III Heroes & Monsters – Take a closer look at the latest Diablo III class, the monk, as well as other characters and creatures from the game.

We've updated the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm FAQ with some new details from the World of Warcraft Game Systems, Dungeons & Raids, and other developer panels at BlizzCon 2009. Check out the new info here -- and in case you missed it yesterday, visit the recently launched Cataclysm web site for screenshots and the official trailer, along with a look at the expansion's features, new races, key characters, and more.

Friday night's Dance, Sound-Alike, and Costume contests (hosted by comedian Jay Mohr) were showcases for some amazing creativity, talent, and craftsmanship. Here are the winners of the evening's live competitions:

Dance Contest

• First Place: James Griffin, Dwarf Female
• Second Place: Audrey Wright, Human Female
• Third Place: Alexander Lok, Dwarf Male

• First Place: Lorraine Torres, Mistress of Pain
• Second Place: Zachary Shaffer, Kel'Thuzad
• Third Place: Andy Kimble, Tier 8 Paladin

The second day of the BlizzCon gaming convention is now underway! Yesterday, we unveiled World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, Diablo III's new monk class, and discussed some of the new features of the updated Battle.net. Today's main events include the finals for this year's Warcraft III, StarCraft, and World of Warcraft Arena tournaments; more developer panels, including the World of Warcraft Game Systems, Diablo III Art, and StarCraft II Lore panels; and the epic closing concert featuring Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain and Ozzy Osbourne. Keep your eye on www.BlizzCon.com throughout the day for updates -- and don't forget that you can follow us on Twitter via @Warcraft, @StarCraft, and @Diablo.

The first day of BlizzCon 2009 is winding down! We've had a blast meeting fellow gamers from around the world, and we hope you've enjoyed following along with the announcements, events, and tournaments. Here are just a few highlights of the day:

During the opening ceremony, thousands of players gathered round for a first-ever look at the new World of Warcraft expansion, Cataclysm. Once they learned the details of Azeroth's impending disaster, players got to try out the worgen and goblin starting areas for themselves on the show floor.

Attendees met Diablo III's fourth playable class, the monk, in a brutal and bloody introductory movie played during the opening ceremony. At the conclusion, players flocked to the show floor to try their hand at taking on the hordes of Hell as the holy martial artist.

Flanked by giant tournament screens in Hall A and Hall B of the Anaheim Convention Center, pro gamers wowed the crowd with their playing prowess on the first day of the StarCraft, Warcraft III, and World of Warcraft Arena tournaments. You can check out the results of day one on the tournament brackets page.

BlizzCon showgoers got to learn new details about all three Blizzard game universes at developer panels throughout the show. Check out some of the highlights from these panels.

At the Battle.net panel, Blizzard Executive Vice President of Game Design Rob Pardo revealed tons of new details about the reenvisioned and redesigned Battle.net, launching with the upcoming StarCraft II.

The evening wrapped up with style and silliness as Jay Mohr hosted the costume, dance, and sound-alike contests. Attendees imitating Kel'Thuzads, Mistresses of Pain, Sartharions, Raynors, and even meeting stones took the stage at this year's show -- look for photos and a list of all the winners soon!

These were just a few quick snapshots of day one at BlizzCon. Thanks to everyone here sharing their passion for games with us, and we'll be back tomorrow with more news, photos, and coverage from the show.

The fourth BlizzCon is underway, and we'll be giving players a look at the new game features and upcoming developments discussed in some of the World of Warcraft, Diablo III, and StarCraft II panels throughout the show. We'll be updating www.blizzcon.com with new information from the panels regularly, so be sure to check back often.

World of Warcraft Classes, Items, and Professions – Check out what's in store for World of Warcraft classes, professions, and items in the future.

StarCraft II Battle.net Discussion – At the StarCraft II Battle.net developer panel on Friday afternoon, we gave players a first look at some of the cool new community and communication features that will be coming with the relaunched Battle.net online-gaming service, along with info on how it'll all be integrated with StarCraft II. Check out new details about Battle.net's state-of-the-art matchmaking system, achievement system, social networking features, and more in our new Battle.net FAQ

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Panel – Learn more devastating details about World of Warcraft's third expansion, Cataclysm.

Diablo III Heroes & Monsters – Take a closer look at the latest Diablo III class, the monk, as well as other characters and creatures from the game.

Ready to watch some live BlizzCon tournament action from the comfort of your own home? Right now and throughout the rest of BlizzCon, you can see top players from around the world compete in your favorite Blizzard Entertainment games. The streaming video feed from the World of Warcraft tournament stage features the coordinated team play and excitement of the World of Warcraft Arena. The RTS tournament stage stream showcases the meticulous hero management of the Warcraft III global finals and the fast-paced battles of the StarCraft Invitational. The tournament matches are now live!

The fourth BlizzCon has begun! The two-day celebration of Blizzard Entertainment games and the passionate communities of players surrounding them is now underway at the Anaheim Convention Center, and we're inviting everyone at home to follow along with the exciting events and announcements at www.blizzcon.com. We'll be updating the site throughout the convention with breaking news, updates from the developer panels, and photos from the show floor, contests, and other activities. We'll also be broadcasting streaming video of the tournaments taking place throughout BlizzCon, so be sure to check back often over the next couple of days.

If you're looking for up-to-the-minute coverage, you can also catch us on Twitter by following @Diablo, @Warcraft, and @StarCraft. For those watching on DIRECTV Pay Per View or via the Internet stream, don't forget to tweet us suggestions for what you'd like to see covered using the #BlizzConDTV tag.

BlizzCon 2009 is right around the corner, featuring -- among many other things -- hands-on demos of Blizzard games in development, including Diablo III. In this Q&A, Diablo III Game Director Jay Wilson talks about what players can expect to see in this year's demo and what players should look out for when battling the hordes of the Burning Hells.

Check out the Diablo III sneak peek Q&A now!

This year's BlizzCon is again being broadcast live on DIRECTV and, for the first time ever, being streamed live via the Internet -- and we're inviting you to play show co-director via Twitter. DIRECTV hosts will be reading your requests live from the BlizzCon show floor, helping to ensure that they're covering the events and activities that players want to see most. Simply send your suggestions with the tag #BlizzConDTV to one of these Twitter feeds: @Warcraft, @StarCraft, or @Diablo. You can also send your questions for the game developers or give feedback about the show using the same tag, as we'll be reading community tweets all throughout BlizzCon. Catch you at the show!

We've just released an overview of some of the cool Blizzard Entertainment merchandise for sale at BlizzCon this year. This new page features product images, detailed descriptions for each item, prices, and important payment information.

Check it out now.

BlizzCon is almost here! If you're attending this year's show, you can pick up your badges beginning Thursday at 4 p.m. at General Attendee Pickup, located in Hall E of the Anaheim Convention Center. Please remember to bring the printed bar code that was emailed to you, along with valid photo ID that matches the name on the confirmation email, in order to ensure you're able to pick up your badge. Complete registration hours are:

Thursday, August 20 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Location: General Attendee Pickup, Hall E, Anaheim Convention Center

See you at the show!

Think you know who will win the StarCraft, Warcraft, and World of Warcraft tournaments at BlizzCon 2009? Intel is running a contest where you can put your predictive powers to good use.

Visit http://scoop.intel.com/blizzcon.php to get details on how you can register to “Choose a Champion.” Participants who choose the tournament winners correctly have the opportunity to win one of three ASUS G50VT gaming laptops. Entry closes August 21, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. (PST).

Ozzy Osbourne, the only mortal to openly challenge the Lich King's claim to the title "Prince of Darkness" and survive, will take the stage live at Anaheim Convention Center to rock the closing ceremonies of BlizzCon 2009.

Although tickets to the convention sold out in minutes, you can still join in with the 'BlizzCon Virtual Ticket' live Internet stream or via DIRECTV Pay Per View. The Virtual Ticket will feature 18 hours of BlizzCon coverage, including Ozzy's live performance, as well as the BlizzCon 2009 exclusive in-game pet: Grunty the Murloc Marine.

Check out the official press release to learn more.

All weekend long, you can stop by the Pocket Books booth in Hall B and receive a free copy of StarCraft: Dark Templar, Book 1: Firstborn while supplies last. While you're there, you can also pick up an exclusive postcard with links to excerpts for the upcoming titles, StarCraft: Heaven's Devils and World of Warcraft: Stormrage. And their fantasy/sci-fi newsletter is also taking sign-ups, to make it easy to stay on top of all their new releases!

Don't miss appearances by bestselling authors Christie Golden and Richard Knaak as they sign their latest Blizzard Entertainment releases. A half-hour prior to each signing, free copies will be given away to the first 20 people in line. Additional copies will be available for purchase at the BlizzCon store.

Friday events:

12:00-1:00 p.m. -- World of Warcraft: Arthas: Rise of the Lich King signing with Christie Golden
2:00-3:00 p.m. -- World of Warcraft: Night of the Dragon signing with Richard Knaak
4:00-5:00 p.m. -- StarCraft: Dark Templar, Book 3: Twilight signing with Christie Golden

Saturday events:

12:00-1:00 p.m. -- World of Warcraft: Arthas: Rise of the Lich King signing with Christie Golden
2:00-3:00 p.m. -- World of Warcraft: Night of the Dragon signing with Richard Knaak
3:00-4:00 p.m. -- Pick up a raffle ticket for one of 25 copies of the Arthas Collector's Edition (signed and numbered), and stick around for the 4:00 p.m. drawing.
4:00 PM -- Raffle drawing! Winners may have the collector's edition leather case or book cover signed by Christie.


All giveaways are on a first-come, first-served basis. One book per person per signing.

StarCraft II's Jim Raynor, terran hero, outlaw, and leader of Raynor's Raiders, will be making a rare exclusive appearance at this year's BlizzCon. Standing 6.25 inches tall, dressed in his signature StarCraft II battle suit, and sporting an oversized Gauss rifle, Raynor is the debut piece in a new line of Blizzard Entertainment-inspired designer vinyl toys known as n00bz. The Raynor figure can be found exclusively inside this year's BlizzCon goody bag and won't be available anywhere else. When interviewed about the honor, the good captain had only this to say: "I don't play nice with others." You can check out images of this year's Raynor figure, along with a preview of other n00bz that will be available for purchase at BlizzCon, on the goody bag page.

You can now follow all of your favorite Blizzard Entertainment news on Twitter. Just head over to @Warcraft, @StarCraft, or @Diablo for all of the news, events, contests, and more. We're starting off with a bang, so you can enter contests for each of the franchises:

• @Warcraft -- Let out your #BattleCry to show your allegiance to Horde or Alliance in preparation for BlizzCon! Win Horde and Alliance prize packages while showing off your pictures during the ongoing battle across Twitter!

• @StarCraft -- Are you the biggest #SC2fan? If you are, you will have a chance at 500 StarCraft II beta keys we're giving away in this challenge.

• @Diablo -- Have you always wanted to have an item in a game that you've named? Enter the #d3unique contest with your best item name and you could win the grand prize of seeing your item wielded by Diablo III players worldwide.

As we head into BlizzCon, we'll also have live coverage and provide a spot to talk about news as it happens in real time. Be sure to check it out for contests and more over the next week. Do you plan to watch the DIRECTV Pay Per View or Internet stream? We'll be Twittering live at the event and looking for your tweets! Things won't end there, and we're looking for you to help us reach a twittercal mass on our new Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo Twitter communities.

The cast of the popular web series The Guild will once again be making a live appearance at this year's BlizzCon, participating in a discussion panel and chatting with attendees about all aspects of the show at their booth. Coming off their successful second season, they'll be giving folks a first-ever sneak preview of their upcoming third season.

The Guild is an independent web-based sitcom that depicts the real-life adventures of a group of online gamers. It's written for gamers, about gamers, and by a gamer, and has won several prestigious awards for Best Web Series. If you're not yet familiar with The Guild -- or just want to get to know its members better -- head over to www.watchtheguild.com to catch all the episodes from Season 1 and 2 right now.

Think you know who will win the StarCraft, Warcraft, and World of Warcraft tournaments at BlizzCon 2009? Intel is running a contest where you can put your predictive powers to good use.

Visit http://scoop.intel.com/blizzcon.php to get details on how you can register to "Choose a Champion." Participants who choose the tournament winners correctly have the opportunity to win one of three ASUS G50VT gaming laptops. Entry closes August 21, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. (PST).

Blizzard Entertainment and SwagDog invite you to show off your guild pride at BlizzCon. Bring your guild by the SwagDog booth during BlizzCon and the guild that demonstrates the most guild pride will win an exclusive BlizzCon Swag-Bag full of World of Warcraft items for each member. You can order your guild's custom apparel from SwagDog before August 6 to get it in time for the big event. Details of the contest can be found at SwagDogs guild honors page.

You can now sign up for our on-site BlizzCon contests by visiting the BlizzCon Contest page. The Dance, Soundalike, and Costume contests will be taking place live on-stage August 21 at BlizzCon. If you wish to take part in these contests it's important you sign up now, before the event. We'll be emailing registered participants before the event with more information on what do once they reach the convention center. Visit the BlizzCon Contest page to read the rules and sign up now!

The map pools for the BlizzCon StarCraft Invitational and Warcraft III global finals have been determined, and are listed below. Each player will be able to eliminate two maps prior to each match and then select a map they wish to play on to determine the map order. Check out the BlizzCon website for more details about the tournaments.

StarCraft:

-Colosseum II
-Destination
-Heartbreak Ridge
-Neo Medusa
-Outsider

Warcraft III:

-Ancient Isles
-Echo Isles
-Melting Valley
-Secret Valley
-Terenas Stand
-Turtle Rock
-Twisted Meadows

We are pleased to announce that this year, for the first time, all of our streaming tournament coverage for BlizzCon will be available in both high-resolution and low-resolution formats, and you can choose whichever fits your available bandwidth. The BlizzCon website will host one stream featuring StarCraft and Warcraft III events and another dedicated to World of Warcraft. As in previous years, all of this streaming tournament coverage will be provided free of charge. Be sure to tune in to find out which teams and players are the best in the world by visiting the BlizzCon site on August 21 and 22.

To clarify, the tournament coverage streams are free, but to watch panels, see new announcements as they are made, or receive the in-game pet, you will need to order the Pay Per View Internet stream.

In addition to the live Pay Per View Internet stream of BlizzCon 2009, rebroadcasts will be available for those who tune in after the show has begun. Rebroadcasts will be available during and directly following the show, giving viewers the control to watch BlizzCon at their convenience. Access to the rebroadcasts is included with the purchase of access to the Internet stream at no additional charge.

Don't miss out; visit here for more information on the Internet stream.

NVIDIA is running a promotion to award one winner with an all-expenses-paid trip for two to BlizzCon 2009. Head over to http://www.nzone.com/wow before July 31 to learn more about the contest, and visit here to review the terms and conditions.

Alienware is providing one more chance at a pair of tickets to BlizzCon 2009. Visit their site to register for a chance to win, and to check out their back-to-school specials on gaming hardware. No purchase is necessary to enter.

Be sure to check out the rules and conditions for details on the sweepstakes, and register before July 31.

The brackets for the Warcraft III and World of Warcraft Arena tournaments at BlizzCon are now live. These brackets show the starting matches and also provide some information about the contestants who will be competing in this year's BlizzCon tournaments. Each participant qualified based on their outstanding performance at their respective regional final. We will be updating these brackets during BlizzCon, so make sure to check back to see the latest tournament results and replays.

Please note that the StarCraft Invitational information will be updated as we near Blizzcon.

Check out the brackets here: Warcraft III, World of Warcraft Arena Tournament.

Just a reminder that the BlizzCon Movie contest submissions will be closing at 12 noon, PST, July 24. Visit the BlizzCon Contest page for the official rules and the submission form to submit your entry before time runs out!

Razer is going to be setting up one lucky gamer with two plane tickets, hotel accommodations, and two passes to BlizzCon 2009. 20 others will be taking home either a Razer Deathadder or a Razer Gear package containing a Razer Messenger Bag and a Laptop Sleeve. All you've got to do for a chance to win is complete a couple of quests on the contest page. Get the code, turn it in, and collect the loot. Easy.

We have expanded the international eligibility for our BlizzCon Original Song and Fan Art contests to include contestants from additional countries. You have until July 31 to enter these contests -- check the new Original Song contest rules or Fan Art contest rules for more information or to see if you're able to enter. If you had previously submitted an entry into either contest, your submission will automatically be re-entered in the new contests. Visit the BlizzCon Contest page for more information or to submit your entry -- and good luck!

We are now accepting submissions for this year's BlizzCon Movie, Original Song, and Fan Art contests. Head over to the contest page to submit your entries by 12 p.m. PST on July 24, and you could win some great prizes or a chance to have your work showcased at the show. We'll be announcing specific prizing and submission guidelines for all of our BlizzCon contests as they become available, so stay tuned to www.blizzcon.com for further updates.

This year, for the first time, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy a live Internet stream of BlizzCon coverage from the comfort of your own home. The stream includes the same content as the DIRECTV pay-per-view event, but you do not have to be a DIRECTV subscriber to purchase it. It consists of over 16 hours of video, including interviews and commentary, main stage presentations, and tournament coverage. It's now available to order for $39.95, and purchasers will also receive the BlizzCon 2009-exclusive in-game pet, Grunty the Murloc Marine (not available in all regions). Head over to the BlizzCon 2009 Live Stream website to get more information, to test video playback on your system, or to place an order.

We've launched contest information and guidelines for our Movie and Original Song Contests, as well as announced a Fan Art Contest and the return of the Dance Contest. We're announcing specific prizing and submission guideline information for our contests as they become available, so stay tuned to the Contest Page on the BlizzCon site for continuing updates.

Want to experience the tournaments, panels, contests, and excitement of BlizzCon from the comfort of your own home? New DIRECTV subscribers in the United States who sign up for DIRECTV between now and July 31 through www.blizzard.directv.com will receive this year's DIRECTV BlizzCon Pay Per View coverage for free, along with the BlizzCon 2009 World of Warcraft pet and access to the first-ever Internet stream of the event. Existing DIRECTV customers will be able to purchase the Pay Per View event for $39.95 beginning August 9, while non-DIRECTV customers will have a chance to order the event as a Pay Per View Internet stream in the weeks ahead. For more information, head to the BlizzCon Pay Per View page or check out the FAQ.

The second batch of tickets for BlizzCon 2009 has now been sold out. If you weren't able to get tickets this year, keep in mind that coverage of the gaming festival will also be offered by DIRECTV as a Pay Per View event, available both via satellite and Internet stream. In the meantime, keep an eye on the BlizzCon website for updates on panels, exhibits, events, and more. We look forward to meeting some of you at the show!

If you were unable to purchase BlizzCon tickets during the first round of ticket sales, we just wanted to remind you that our second batch of BlizzCon 2009 tickets will be going on sale Saturday, May 30. Ticket sales are again scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, so be sure to visit the ticket sales page then for a chance to get yours.

BlizzCon 2009 will take place August 21 and 22 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and tickets cost $125 each. For those unable to attend the show, in-depth coverage of BlizzCon will also be offered by DIRECTV as a Pay Per View event, available both via satellite and Internet stream. For more information about the convention and the DIRECTV BlizzCon packages, check out the official BlizzCon site.

The initial allotment of tickets for BlizzCon 2009 has now been sold out. If you weren't able to get tickets this time, you'll have a second chance on Saturday, May 30, as another batch will go on sale then. Coverage of the gaming festival will also be offered by DIRECTV as a Pay Per View event, available both via satellite and Internet stream.

UPDATE: Tickets are scheduled to go on sale specifically at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, Saturday, May 16.

Just in case Saturday, May 16 isn't circled on your calendar, here's a quick reminder that BlizzCon tickets will be going on sale tomorrow. After our gnomish engineers here in Southern California get to work and finish making the final preparations late Saturday morning, they'll activate the ticket-purchase process at 10 a.m. Pacific Time and BlizzCon tickets will officially go on sale. If you are unable to purchase tickets tomorrow, a second batch of tickets will go on sale May 30. And for those unable to attend the show, in-depth coverage of BlizzCon will also be offered by DIRECTV as a Pay Per View event, available both via satellite and Internet stream.

BlizzCon 2009 will take place August 21 and 22 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and tickets cost $125 each. For further information about the convention, check out the official BlizzCon site, and keep an eye on the ticket sales page tomorrow for the chance to get yours.

Want to do your part to protect Azeroth from interstellar invasion? Everyone who attends BlizzCon 2009 or purchases the BlizzCon Pay Per View event via DIRECTV will be joined by a new World of Warcraft in-game companion, Grunty the murloc marine. This tiny terror is fully armored and comes equipped with a gauss rifle, which he'll occasionally fire into the air to make sure no invisible spacecraft are swooping in to attack.

BlizzCon 2009 takes place on August 21-22 in the Anaheim Convention Center. Tickets go on sale on Saturday, May 16, with a second allotment to be released on May 30. For further details, check out the recent press release.

Tickets to this year's BlizzCon gaming convention, being held on August 21 and 22 in Anaheim, California, will go on sale worldwide on Saturday, May 16 for $125 each, with a second block of tickets going on sale Saturday, May 30.

For those unable to attend, DIRECTV will once again be televising BlizzCon in high definition as a Pay Per View event, featuring coverage from the show floor, exclusive interviews, demos, and more. In addition, for the first time, players around the world will be able to watch the DIRECTV BlizzCon event as a Pay Per View Internet stream.

Check out the press release for further details, and head over to www.blizzcon.com on May 16 or May 30 to buy your tickets.