Blizzard Watch WeeklyMar 16, 2026 9:00 am CT

Blizzard Watch Weekly: Patch 12.0.5, Diablo 4 Season 12, and more of the week’s latest news

By Elizabeth Harper

From a surprise patch 12.0.5 reveal to a low-key new Diablo 4 season, there’s a lot to catch up on from the last week, and a lot more on the docket this week. So if you, like me, are struggling to keep up, we’ve put together this rundown of everything that’s been happening in Blizzard games over the last week, and what’s coming up next week. So let’s get to it.

What happened last week?

Diablo 4 Season 12 launched, including a new Killstreak mechanic, Bloodied gear that buffs those Killstreaks, and the very unusual ability to become the Butcher to slaughter your enemies. Reception to the season has been a little lukewarm because Killstreaks and Bloodied gear aren’t anywhere close to matching the power levels of last season’s Sanctified gear, but I’m glad to see the D4 team trying something different for seasons after a chain of seasons with near-identical borrowed power systems.
We’re barely into WoW’s Midnight expansion, but Blizzard is already looking to the next big thing, and we have PTR patch notes for patch 12.0.5, which we expect will be out in May. The patch will add Void Assaults throughout Midnight zones, the Decor Duels prop hunt mode, the Abyss Anglers fishing event (Dave the Diver, is that you?), and the Voidforge, a new take on bonus loot rolls.
Steady Flight is now baseline in World of Warcraft, no need to get an achievement in order to earn this slower, more accessible version of flying. This is true for both Midnight and The War Within content, both of which originally required completing a Pathfinder achievement to unlock Steady Flight.
Midnight is still pretty new, so we also have a guide on how to find all of the Renown vendors in the expansion.
We cannot get over all of the dachshunds … I mean elfhounds … in and around Silvermoon. They’re the cutest thing we’ve seen in days, probably, and we’re connoisseurs of that kind of thing. And we have some tips on picking up your own precious pup.
Blizzard has rolled out some new spring-themed housing decor for WoW that costs Hearthsteel, and I absolutely adore that cherry tree but just don’t love the price.
- … but if you’re looking for more free decor, secret hunters have found a new vase decor item as part of the Zillow promotion. It’s still a weird cross-promotion, but I definitely want this vase. (It’s a really nice vase!)
This week’s Hearthstone Tavern Brawl is the Cataclysm Pre-Release Tavern Brawl, Cataclysmic Brawliseum, and it requires some careful deck building to succeed in this one. Of course we have some deck suggestions to try, no matter what your card collection looks like.
Blizzard Watch is looking for a few good writers, so why don’t you throw your hat in the ring? You may be just the person we’re looking for.

What’s happening this week (and beyond)

March 17: Hearthstone’s Cataclysm expansion launches
March 17: Roofus, a new charity pet benefiting Habitat for Humanity, will be available to purchase this week (though we don’t yet know the price). Roofus will be available in both modern and classic WoW.
March 17: Midnight Season 1 begins, with Mythic 0 (not Mythic+) versions of seasonal dungeons, Bountiful Delves, and Normal, Heroic, and Raid Finder (wing 1) difficulties of the Voidspire and Dreamrift raids. This (sort of) marks the beginning of the Race to World First, and Echo will start streaming the race this week… but it’s likely to be an endless chain of Heroic splits. Liquid and Method are both starting their World First streams next week, when Mythic raids open.
Through March 18: Diablo 4 Paladin free trial available
March 20 – 27: WoW Trial of Style is live, and with the new transmog system in Midnight, this event will work a little differently.
March 24: Midnight Season 1 adds Mythic+ dungeons, Mythic difficulty Dreamrift raid, Mythic, and Story Mode, and Raid Finder (wing 2) Voidspire raid. (No Story Mode has been announced for Dreamrift.)
Through March 26: Collect the latest WoW Twitch Drop: two different color murloc plushies as decor for your house by watching four hours of World of Warcraft.
March 31: Midnight Season 1 adds the March on Quel’Danas raid on Normal, Heroic, and Mythic difficulties, and opens Voidspire Raid Finder wing 3.
April 7: Midnight Season 1 opens Story Mode and Raid Finder for the March on Quel’Danas raid.
April 28: Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred launches
Until they’re gone: BlizzCon 2026 tickets are on sale

Other things we’re playing, watching, and more

Jeff Kaplan has re-emerged with a new game in progress: The Legend of California, which will be going into early access on Steam this year. An action-survival FPS, the game is in an alternate California during the gold rush period where players can explore, build their own ranches or businesses, fight to survive all of the hazards of life in the Wild West. And, if you want to be one of those hazards, there’s an optional PVP mode.
The Epic Games Store is giving away one of our favorite games this week: Cozy Grove, a casual life sim style game where you collect, craft, explore, customize… and also befriend the spirits of dead bears, which is a lot more charming than it sounds. Also free this week (in a bit of tonal whiplash) is Isonzo, a World War 1 military sim shooter. If either of these games are for you, they’re free until Thursday.