Tickets for BlizzCon fan expo given street date

Blizzard, the company behind the phenomenally successful online role-playing game World of Warcraft, has announced the dates upon which ticket sales for the 2010 BlizzCon gaming convention will commence.

While the event itself is scheduled for the weekend of October 22-23 at the Anaheim convention Center in California, USA, the first batch of tickets will be made available on June 2, with a second batch to follow on June 5.

A two-day pass will be available for $150 (~€120), and Blizzard is encouraging purchasers to sign up with their community network, Battle.net, if not already registered, as those account details will be integral to the ticketing process.

BlizzCon is also cementing its broadcast presence with a repeat of 2009's live coverage on the DIRECTV channel with a pay-per-view event costing $39.99 and running the length of the convention.

For non-attendees outside of the US, DIRECTV are bringing the show to the web with a multi-channel online stream available for the same price.

As well as World of Warcraft, the company are also responsible for the Diablo and Starcraft series, and both Diablo III and Starcraft II are long-awaited with rabidly enthusiastic fanbases.

Though Starcraft II is due for release on July 27 and World of Warcraft's next expansion is to land in August, both prior to BlizzCon 2010, Diablo III is not yet blessed with a specific 2011 release date and so the convention represents a prime opportunity for revelations regarding gameplay and retail options.

Tickets will be available from Blizzard.com/blizzcon