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.

With BlizzCon almost here, 3 Point Entertainment is introducing a new addition to their line of World of Warcraft steins. The "Charge of the Great Dragonflight" stein showcases all five Dragon Aspects in a full- color, bas-relief illustration, and also features an exquisitely crafted dragon's tail handle. This stein will be on display at BlizzCon, and is scheduled to ship in October. For more information, check out 3 Point Entertainment's website, Twitter feed, or Facebook page.

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!

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).

This Friday marks the beginning of BlizzCon 2009, and thousands of players will be making the trek to the Anaheim Convention Center to enjoy a weekend full of gaming, tournaments, panels, contests, and more. If you're interested in watching the sold-out show, don't forget that you still have a few days to order your "virtual ticket," available through DIRECTV or via Internet stream. This package comes with 18 hours of live coverage, including the closing concert with Ozzy Osbourne, as well as the exclusive BlizzCon 2009 in-game pet, Grunty the murloc marine.

Creative Labs is partnering with Blizzard Entertainment to announce the new Sound Blaster World of Warcraft Wireless Headset, catering specifically to the World of Warcraft gamer. From the customizable ear cup "Glyphs" featuring Horde and Alliance artwork illuminated by 16 million color programmable LEDs, to the huge emphasis on comfort for extended wear, this headset pushes the envelope in both technology and design. For more information about the Sound Blaster World of Warcraft Wireless Headset, visit Creative.com.

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:

1. @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!
2. @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.
3. @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 Blizzard Fan Art Section has been updated with 3 new artwork from World of Warcraft.

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.

Continuing our behind-the-scenes look at Blizzard Entertainment games and developers, BlizzCast #10 features a Q&A session about World of Warcraft patch 3.2, Call of the Crusade. As players have begun exploring all of the new content available in this patch, you'll get to hear the developers' take on some of the highlights of the Argent Tournament, Crusaders' Coliseum, and the Isle of Conquest. We'll put all of the new action in and off the coast of Icecrown in perspective for you and even talk a bit about our thoughts on BlizzCon 2009 (coming August 21 and 22 to the Anaheim Convention Center).

Check out BlizzCast #10 now!

BlizzCast #10 Quiz Contest

It's been a little while since our last BlizzCast, and we're celebrating its return with a brand-new contest. Are you a BlizzCast enthusiast? Have you downloaded every episode within minutes of its release? Do you take notes to distribute amongst your guild? Well then, this is the opportunity you've been waiting for. Listen carefully to BlizzCast #10, answer the questions below, and you may just win yourself a fantastic prize.

1. Who was the interviewer in this BlizzCast?
2. For what purpose or purposes is Tirion Fordring running the Argent Tournament?
3. How did the Tribute system come into being?
4. What was Senior Game Designer Dave Maldonado looking forward to in patch 3.2, Call of the Crusade?
5. Why is Lead Encounter Designer Scott Mercer so excited to go to BlizzCon?

Check out the Contest Rules and submit your answers.