Blizzard's Canceled Netflix Shows: Why Diablo, Warcraft, and Overwatch Never Made It to TV
Discover why Blizzard's plans for Diablo, Warcraft, and Overwatch TV shows on Netflix were canceled. Explore the legal troubles that led to the breakdown and what could be next for Blizzard’s TV ambitions.
In an intriguing move, Blizzard intended to bring its beloved titles to Netflix. Sadly, though, those ideas were abandoned before they could ever get off the ground. This is an explanation of what happened and why we won't be using Netflix to binge-watch Diablo, Warcraft, or Overwatch anytime soon.
The Big Three: Overwatch, Warcraft, and Diablo
Jason Schreier of Bloomberg claims that Blizzard was planning to develop television programs based on Diablo, Warcraft, and Overwatch. Thoughts of these cherished series moving from video games to television thrilled fans, but events had an unanticipated turn.
Legal Troubles: The Lawsuit That Ruined Everything
What then went down exactly? Apparently, the agreement broke down when Activision Blizzard filed a lawsuit against Netflix in December 2020. The complaint charged Netflix with breaking Californian employment law by allegedly "poaching" one of Blizzard's senior executives. Consequently, Blizzard and Netflix's partnership came to an abrupt halt, and these prospective series were shelved.
The Rumored Shows: A Diablo Anime and More
In 2020, there were whispers regarding a potential Diablo anime series on Netflix, but facts regarding Overwatch and Warcraft remained secret. These initiatives, regrettably, never got off the ground and appear to be permanently abandoned.
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What’s Next for Blizzard’s TV Ambitions?
Even though Netflix isn’t in the picture anymore, Blizzard’s interest in anime and animated adaptations of their iconic games is clear. So while we might not see them on Netflix, don’t rule out the possibility of these shows popping up on other platforms down the road!