Game Informer's December issue is centered around Blizzard

[Lukar]

Digital subscribers get the issue on November 6th.

No mention in the announcement article of anything related to the Blitzchung controversy.

https://www.gameinformer.com/cover-reveal/2019/11/01/december-cover-revealed-the-blizzard-issue

For this issue, Game Informer is going big with four different covers. This year marks possibly the biggest BlizzCon in Blizzard's history, showing off a multitude of high-profile projects. As a result, we've got an issue packed with exclusive deep dives and information on not one, but four different games. We visited the developer's Irvine, CA studio to check out these projects, interview their creative teams, and explore content that won't be on the show floor.

Join us for a look at Diablo IV. Through over an hour of hands-on time, we explore what it means to be an open-world Diablo experience as the druid, sorceress, and barbarian. Crashing through dungeons and collecting loot with new mechanics are just some of the highlights of our journey.

Next, explore the afterlife with us in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. We explore the angelic trappings of the new Bastion zone – then get far more grim on an exclusive tour of Revendreth, a gigantic gothic-castle zone where sinners find their redemption via torture, a place inhabited by the mysterious and vampiric Venthyr. We also explore the lethal endgame zone The Maw and an ever-changing roguelike dungeon crawl in the Jailer's Tower.

What can you expect from Hearthstone? We take a look at a bold new expansion that has players siding on either end of the king of all Warcraft dragons, Galakrond. This is just the start for what you can expect from Blizzard's digital card game, as it also tackles the autobattler genre with a brand new mode known as Battlegrounds.

To round out are look at Blizzard's upcoming lineup, we go hands on with Overwatch 2's new PvP and PvE experiences, and chat at length with game creator Jeff Kaplan about the sequel's ambitious modes. He also gave us teases of several unannounced heroes and maps.

You can view all four Blizzard covers below:

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[Khanimus]

I'm sure it will sell fine.

 

[Lucas M. Thomas]

Wow at the timing.

 

[Lukar]

Wow at the timing.

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Would love to know when they cut the deal with Blizzard, and the timing of it all. Can't imagine it was after everything that went down.

 

[ry-dog]

No mention of Hong Kong? I sometimes forget Game informer previews are essentially paid advertising

 

[ZiggyPalffyLA]

GI has been having a rough couple of months.

 

[nightstalker962]

Disgusting.

 

[Siresly]

Now that's what I call a sticky situation.

 

[Expy]

There's probably going to be mention somewhere in the issue, but not going to be a highlight or a reason people will read this specific issue.

 

[Deleted member 18944]

Like, I get that marketing & sales and editorial are separate, but man. This just isn't a good luck for GI.

 

[Bradford]

I was really, really hoping I'd open the thread and see an expose/cover story about the Hong Kong stuff. Alas, that is not how this works, and I am sad.

 

[Mars People]

GI should be ashamed.

 

[Magnus]

Absolutely gorgeous covers.

 

[Xando]

Nice will read later

 

[dancingphlower]

Curious how Imran feels now that he's no longer at GI. He's been pretty anti-Blizzard since the whole controversy started.

 

[Khanimus]

Coverage deals like this are made months in advance. Not sure what GI themselves are expected to even be able to do. It's not like it's them "gracing Blizzard with the honor of their spotlit coverage." IGN, Gamespot, wherever else that does traditional games press is going to cover these games in the same way.

The announcement of their next issue like this has more in common with an ad deal than any kind of coverage. If the issue does include any talk of the Hong Kong controversy, they're not going to announce it in this.

 

[shinobi602]

Stuff like this is scheduled and worked on months in advance. Unfortunate timing but I imagine it'd be extremely difficult to go back on it all.

 

[Lukar]

Stuff like this scheduled and worked on months in advance. Unfortunate timing but I imagine it'd be extremely difficult to go back on it all.

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Yup. Especially given how a lot of GI's staff were let go not all that long ago. Even if they had been able to cancel the Blizzard stories, they would be constrained on finding a replacement not just by time, but also by a reduction in staff. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume their hands were tied on this.

That said, I hope they do touch on the Blitzchung stuff in the issue.

 

[MegaXZero]

I understand deals and such, but if GI doesn't set aside some pages to discuss Hong Kong at all in the issue, then it is a really bad look.

 

[Deleted member 44371]

absolutely disgusting.

 

[Deleted member 6263]

Sucks for GI with timing on this whole thing, but I'm sure it'll still get a lot of views.

No mention of Hong Kong? I sometimes forget Game informer previews are essentially paid advertising

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No mention of Hong Kong - therefore paid advertising? That's a super reductive way of looking at it.

 

[bluehat9]

Their Shenmue 3 kickstarter story last issue was on point too, lol.

 

[Bonezz]

Bolvar cover looks great.

 

[Pyro]

Bad timing

 

[moonie]

So what's consensus, are we boycotting Blizzard or do we jump on the Diablo 4 fan train?

 

[jeelybeans]

Ehhh, I'll be unsubbing since they got rid of Imran. It really sucks it's tied to Gamestop's Power Up or whatever but I kind of don't want that anymore anyway.

 

[Garlador]

So what's consensus, are we boycotting Blizzard or do we jump on the Diablo 4 fan train?

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My pessimistic take...

Diablo 4 is years away so go ahead and shower them with protests and backlash for the next several years. They deserve it.

Diablo 4 will sell regardless and there are definitely people who worked on that game who hate what their company did.

But - here and now - whatever happens in the future or doesn't - drag them for their cowardly decision.

 

[NiallGGlynn]

"The Blizzard Issue" is such an ironic title

 

[clockstrikes]

That is some unfortunate timing.

 

[Falchion]

Please don't think about China.

 

[moonie]

My pessimistic take...

Diablo 4 is years away so go ahead and shower them with protests and backlash for the next several years. They deserve it.

Diablo 4 will sell regardless and there are definitely people who worked on that game who hate what their company did.

But - here and now - whatever happens in the future or doesn't - drag them for their cowardly decision.

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Man it's such a conundrum. Love the games Blizzard makes, but their obvious siding with future profits over basic human rights makes me sick. It's like they don't care about US gamers anymore.

Back in the early 2000s I thought Blizzard could do no wrong, everything they touched was turning to gold. The last few years has been such shit, starting with that Diablo Immortal fiasco last year.

 

[TheZynster]

Is there a Chinese flag on the front cover?

 

[Fizzgig]

Oh wow, it really has a picture of Tracer giving the peace symbol? WTF!

 

[Neiteio]

That's pretty neat, must be because it snows in December and they're named Blizzard

 

[Van Bur3n]

The Blizzard "Issue".

 

[Lucas M. Thomas]

Would love to know when they cut the deal with Blizzard, and the timing of it all. Can't imagine it was after everything that went down.

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No, they would have planned this out a long time ago. Game Informer was probably really excited to have such a big issue with four covers coming down the line, and they probably had a lot of it already done when all the Hong Kong chaos hit.

 

[Wulfric]

I love the WoW cover

Any word as to which one is the print cover?

 

[Lukar]

I love the WoW cover

Any word as to which one is the print cover?

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I think all are possible, it's just random which one you get.

 

[Lukar]

Just got a notification from the GI app that the issue is available to read now. Downloaded it, gonna read it later. Wanted to give a heads-up for those interested.

EDIT: Looking at it briefly, there is a letter from Andy McNamara that touches on the Blitzchung situation. I'll share a snippet of the letter below; I hope that's okay.

We at Game Informer believe in free speech. Blizzard's response to Blitzchung and what followed has been the focus of a lot of attention and anger, but it was also decided above the heads of the people putting in the daily work to create the games we love. In this issue, we celebrate those games and the people who bring joy into the world by developing them. I want people in this industry to be free to speak up for their beliefs, and I know there are hardworking developers at Blizzard whose work shouldn't be judged for corporate decisions beyond their control.

It is a complicated topic, and one that is difficult to cover in a simple letter. But I want people to know Game Informer stands for free speech, supports fair conversation, and also respects the hard work and passion that is difficult to put into perspective during these turbulent times.

Be good to each other.

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