Watching Blizzard: There aren’t enough puppies in esports

It's not really a surprise that I'm still super hyped about the Overwatch Puppy Rumble. I think this should become a staple of Overwatch League, with exciting ranked matchups between each stage. And maybe we could get a Puppy Rumble for Heroes of the Storm and Hearthstone and, heck, even WoW. I'm not sure how any of those would work, but I'm pretty sure they'd all be great. With apologies to Matticus and other haters of cute things.

But alas, the Puppy Rumble is over and no follow-up match has been announced. We'll have to make do with today's news instead.

Are you premptively missing your Artifact abilities?

• We know our Artifacts are going away, but here are the abilities that will stick around in Battle for Azeroth... at least the abilities that are on the alpha so far.

Listen, Blizzard, I never ask you for anything, but...

• I really want to play the Overwatch-themed fighting game demonstrated in this fan-made video. Please. Please.
• Okay, maybe I do ask you for things, but this time I really mean it.

More transmog options, please

• It looks like you may be able to hide your gloves in Battle for Azeroth. Though if we're hiding our gloves, we may want some better hand models...
• And for everyone who runs old dungeons for transmog — by which I mean everyone — Blizzard is changing the way loot works when high level players run low level dungeons. The result: more delicious transmog loot from every run. Rossi will have some thoughts written up about it in the morning, but for now you can enjoy Blizzard's post.

Just what's happening with Warcraft 3?

• First we hear about a secret — well, not that secret — Warcraft event at Blizzard HQ and now there's a new installer for the old RTS. Hmm...

Another week, another...

• ...free hero rotation!! Wooo... oooooo.... yawnn... zzz... er, wait, wha? Oh, right, there's a new free hero rotation for the week and, well, you know the drill. The Lunar Festival is running through the end of the month in Heroes, too, and that's probably the more exciting thing this week.
• ...Hearthstone Brawl!! This one kind of is exciting (at least to me). Starting tomorrow (or today, depending on when you read this), Hearthstone's Wildfest Brawl will be live.
• And don't forget, Overwatch League is back Wednesday night, too.

And that's the end of a Puppy Rumble-less day. Alas. At least we'll have Overwatch League to entertain us tomorrow... though, really, it could stand to have at least one puppy on stage at all times. The League could use a mascot, couldn't it? Listen, Blizzard, I never ask you for anything, but...

Well, maybe I shouldn't waste that line by using it twice in one day.

This is Liz, signing out for the night.