Overwatch & Diablo – Image: Blizzard Leisure
With Blizzcon 2021 been and gone, it’s nonetheless unclear whether or not or not Netflix is engaged on or set to launch two sequence primarily based on Blizzard’s largest IP, Overwatch and Diablo. Are they in improvement? Let’s have a look again at what has been documented to this point.
Each online game franchises actually require no introduction. Diablo is a hack and slash dungeon crawler and Overwatch is a team-based shooter. Each video games are presently engaged on new entries which is Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 – we’ll revisit these in a bit.
Earlier than we get going, we must always state that neither a Diablo or Overwatch sequence has formally been introduced by both Netflix or Activision Blizzard.
The place did this all start? We now have to rewind the clocks again to August 2018 for the primary point out of a Diablo sequence. It got here through Andy Cosby (who has lengthy since deleted the Tweet) who said to a query that “I suppose I can verify I’m certainly in last talks to put in writing and show-run the brand new DIABLO animated sequence for Activision and Netflix. It’s very thrilling and I hope to Excessive Heavens all of it works out.”
In a since deleted tweet (cached right here https://t.co/25OuXRBbhW) Increase! Studios founder Andrew Cosby confirms he’s in “last talks” to put in writing and show-run the brand new DIABLO animated sequence for Activision and Netflix. pic.twitter.com/21UpDv1aO2
— Xbox Tavern (@XboxTavern) September 21, 2018
Roughly six months later, a trademark was registered for the Diablo sequence. Across the similar time, Andrew Cosby Tweeted (which remains to be out there) to tease his subsequent mission. Cosby serves because the co-founder of Increase! Studios which struck a first-look deal with Netflix again in April 2020.
It is killing me that I can not discuss overtly about my new tremendous secret mission, as a result of my new tremendous secret mission is simply so frikkin’ cool! Quickly… very quickly…
— Andrew Cosby (@andycosby) March 14, 2019
It was then two years later (February 2020) when on a LinkedIn profile for Nick van Dyk who serves because the co-president of Activision Blizzard Studios had animated sequence listed for each Overwatch and Diablo. This was the primary time an Overwatch sequence was talked about with the profile stating: “With my artistic accomplice, developed and bought an animated sequence primarily based Blizzard’s Overwatch franchise.”
BlizzardWatch has been finally very skeptical about the existence of both sequence questioning why neither social gathering has introduced it simply but. Nonetheless, that’s not utterly unusual for Netflix. They have an inclination to maintain a few of their animated tasks fairly properly hidden till a number of months till launch. Look no additional than the latest animated sequence DOTA based on the Valve game.
No smoke with out fireplace?
So with it being a number of years because the first mentions of both animated sequence, what’s occurring? Properly, our hypothesis is that these sequence are in improvement (or have been in some kind) and it’s most definitely that the 2 can be tied to approaching recreation entries.
Overwatch 2 was recently delayed on account of a myriad of causes not least on account of COVID-19. The aforementioned Diablo IV has been formally known about since 2019 however has gone quiet ever since.
So proper right here proper now, we’re going to have to only sit and watch for any future announcement of the 2 tasks however our guess is that they’re on the best way however we’ll need to preserve ready.
Netflix and Activision have considerably labored collectively prior to now. Netflix tailored the online game sequence Skylanders which ran for 4 seasons earlier than being introduced it might not return for season 5.
The excellent news for followers of each video games is that there’s been loads of extra content material launched so that you can watch proper now. Overwatch, as an illustration, has north of 90 minutes of animated shorts to observe proper now.
Assuming the exhibits do finally materialize, they’ll be becoming a member of a massive suite of video game IP that’s made its manner onto Netflix in varied types (with a lot extra on the best way).
Do you wish to see Overwatch and Diablo make their manner over to Netflix? Tell us within the feedback.