Watching Blizzard: Still our favorite underdogs

Overwatch League is back, and despite a lot of hope for the League's biggest underdogs, the first match between the Shanghai Dragons and the Dallas Fuel ended with a loss for Shanghai. Still, the team played well — better, I think, than we've ever seen them play. And there is good news: after the first day of matches, the Shanghai Dragons (who lost 3-1) currently rank higher than the Seoul Dynasty (who lost 4-0).

Look! There's even photographic evidence!

Yep, they’re officially not the worst team in the League! (At least for now.)  I’m pretty excited by this.

But okay, this is not actually a place for me to talk about Overwatch League. (Even though I often do.) It’s about running down the latest news. And while the Dragons played a good game, it’s not actually all that newsworthy.

So let’s take a look at what is.

Overwatch Retribution takes us to the days of Blackwatch

• Like last year’s Uprising event, this year’s Retribution event will send players through a PVE story scenario — this time set in Venice, where Blackwatch and Talon face off. Retribution kicks off on April 10.
• But why make a whole Venice map just for one little event? Venice will be coming to PVP, too, though it will hit the PTR before it goes live.
• Want more story? There’s a new Retribution comic, too.

All of the Overwatch League team shakeups that happened before Stage 3 kicked off

• The trading window for Overwatch League has closed, and that may leave your favorite team looking a little different than they did in Stage 2. Here’s what we know.

Do you need an all-access pass?

• Because now Overwatch League has one. Check out the bonuses you can get for signing up for the League’s new All-Access Pass, which includes exclusive behind the scenes content and some sweet new skins for just $30.

Sorry, auction house fans

• The mobile auction house is going away on April 18. The kindest way to describe this would be as a nuisance, leaving us to the frustrations of the game’s mediocre auction UI for our trading needs. And while addons can help with UI problems, auctioning on the go will soon be gone.

More of Anne’s amazing adventures in Azeroth

• In her latest album, Anne has collected shots from Dire Hills, Drowned Lands, and Deadwash in Stormsong Valley.

The Heart of Azeroth is now live in the Battle for Azeroth alpha

• The system is far from finished, but right now it looks pretty similar to the Netherlight Crucible.

Ghostcrawler promised me a pony

• By which I mean “Ghostcrawler created the first WoW balance playtesting team.” (Those mean almost the same thing, right?) Recently, he explained why it was important.
• And speaking of Ghostcrawler, this year marks the 10-year anniversary of his famed TO THE GROUND comment… a concisely-worded response to a question about whether Retribution Paladins were being nerfed. (Apparently the answer was yes.)
• Also speaking of Ghostcrawler, I miss that guy and his promised ponies and his occasional discussions of sea life.

There are still more Hearthstone cards

• Another day means another batch of Hearthstone cards, including a couple of new Legendaries and the suggestion of a new Echo Rogue meta. We’ll have to wait and see how they shake out, but in the meanwhile check out all of the latest cards.

That’s all for now everyone. We’ll see what the dawn brings, but in the meanwhile, this is Liz, signing out for another night.