If you were hoping to binge-watch Diablo, Overwatch, or StarCraft on Netflix while raiding in World of Warcraft, we’ve got some bad news. Blizzard Entertainment once had plans to bring these beloved franchises to the small screen, with animated adaptations for Netflix in the works. But much like many of our ranked Overwatch matches, things went south, fast.
A Blizzard of Animated Projects
Blizzard is no stranger to creating impressive cinematic experiences—just look at the awe-inspiring animated shorts they produced for Overwatch. So, it wasn’t a shock when rumors started flying in 2020 that the company was working with Netflix to develop animated series for their iconic games. Fans were particularly excited about a Diablo anime, in a similar style to Castlevania.
However, things took a turn for the worse when Activision Blizzard decided to file a lawsuit against Netflix. At the heart of the dispute was Netflix’s poaching of Blizzard’s CFO, Spencer Neumann. Blizzard accused Netflix of “intentional interference” and “unfair competition,” which ultimately led to the breakdown of any collaborative efforts between the two companies.
What Could Have Been: Diablo, Overwatch, and StarCraft
The exact details of what the shows would have been are still mostly speculative. However, we do know that Diablo was set to receive an anime adaptation. With Diablo's dark lore and twisted narrative, fans imagined a show that could capture the same horror and gothic atmosphere that made the games so iconic. Think of it as Castlevania but with more demons and fewer vampires.
Overwatch, on the other hand, seemed destined for a more lighthearted series, possibly extending the cinematic style used in the game's famous shorts. While Overwatch has never been about deep storytelling, its cast of colorful heroes and global settings provided plenty of material for character-driven episodes. Just imagine an episode entirely dedicated to Winston's love of peanut butter.
As for StarCraft, this one had the potential to be a sci-fi epic. With its rich universe filled with Terrans, Protoss, and Zerg, the franchise could have offered a Game of Thrones-style space drama—without the dragons but with lots of laser guns.
The Fallout: Why Did These Shows Never Happen?
The nail in the coffin for these projects came when Activision Blizzard sued Netflix. The lawsuit revolved around Netflix allegedly poaching Spencer Neumann, who was Blizzard's CFO before jumping ship to the streaming giant. The legal battle over Neumann's departure likely soured the relationship between the two companies, and any animated projects that were in development were quietly shelved.
Blizzard fans were understandably disappointed, especially since the company had announced Activision Blizzard Studios back in 2015 with the goal of turning its gaming IPs into films and television series. Aside from Skylanders Academy (which ran for three seasons on Netflix), not much else from this ambitious plan has come to fruition.
The Bigger Picture: Blizzard’s Expanding Universe
Although these Netflix projects may have fizzled out, Blizzard isn’t done expanding its gaming universe. Diablo 4 continues to dominate the action RPG space, and Overwatch 2—despite some setbacks—is still bringing in new content. But without these animated series, Blizzard loses out on a major opportunity to grow its franchises in a way that would appeal to both gamers and general audiences.
With the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard looming, some fans speculate that there could be future opportunities for game adaptations. Microsoft’s resources and its history with gaming IPs like Halo suggest that a Diablo or Overwatch show isn’t off the table forever. But for now, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Could These Shows Return?
While the Blizzard-Netflix drama may have squashed the animated series, there’s still hope that these projects could be revived. Other streaming services or even in-house production could pick up where the Netflix collaboration left off. Plus, with The Witcher setting a strong precedent for successful game-to-TV adaptations, it’s clear there’s a market for these kinds of shows.
However, if Blizzard does pursue this in the future, one thing is for certain: it needs to be handled with care. Fans are fiercely protective of these franchises, and anything less than stellar will likely face the same backlash as Warcraft 3: Reforged.
Final Thoughts
It’s unfortunate that we’ll never know what a Diablo, Overwatch, or StarCraft animated series could have been. The legal drama between Activision Blizzard and Netflix ultimately pulled the plug on what could have been the next great gaming adaptations. For now, fans will have to continue enjoying the games while dreaming of the animated series that almost were.
So, while we may not get to see Reaper and Tracer duke it out on Netflix anytime soon, the Overwatch and Diablo franchises are still going strong in the gaming world. And who knows? With new partnerships on the horizon, perhaps we’ll get those series after all—but maybe on a different streaming service.
For now, let's just stick to conquering dungeons and payloads!
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