Blizzard formally announced today that its fourth annual BlizzCon gaming convention will take place on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. This year will mark Blizzard’s largest event ever, as the show is expanding from the usual three convention halls to four.

Attendees will have the chance to try out upcoming Blizzard titles, participate in discussion panels with developers, and compete in tournaments with other fans. Specifics in regards to which games will be playable were not playable, but we’d say it is a given that Starcraft II and Diablo III will be there in one form or another.

Press release after the jump.

BLIZZCON® 2009 ANNOUNCED
Blizzard Entertainment® gaming celebration to return to Anaheim Convention Center on August 21-22

IRVINE, Calif. — February 17, 2009 — Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced plans for its fourth BlizzCon® gaming convention, to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22. BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment®’s Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® universes. In response to the festival’s increasing popularity, this year’s event has been expanded from three convention halls to four.

“We’ve been amazed by the incredible response to each of our previous BlizzCon events,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re pleased to be bringing the convention back to Anaheim this year, and we look forward to this new opportunity to meet Blizzard gamers from around the world.”

BlizzCon will offer a wide variety of activities throughout the two-day event. In addition to serving as a gathering place for Blizzard Entertainment gaming communities, attendees will be able to enjoy:

* Hands-on play time with upcoming Blizzard Entertainment games
* Discussion panels with Blizzard Entertainment developers
* Competitive and casual tournaments for players to showcase their talents
* Community contests with great prizes
* Commemorative merchandise based on Blizzard Entertainment’s game universes
* A silent auction
* More exciting activities and attractions to be announced

Further details, including ticket availability and pricing, will be announced on the official BlizzCon website, www.blizzcon.com, as the event draws closer.

Read more: BlizzCon 2008 Officially Announced, Blizzard: StarCraft II Is A Trilogy, Blizzard: No StarCraft II This Year, PAX2009 Pre-Registration Opens, Blizzard’s New Game Unveiled – Starcraft II