BlizzCon 2008 is here! In what is considered to be a gamer's spiritual journey, more than 16,000 attendees have gathered in Anaheim, Calif., to learn more about their favorite Blizzard Entertainment titles.

Lucky for us, those 16,000 attendees just happen to include dedicated members of the ZAM Network staff, including some familiar faces (like Tamat and Wordaen ) from our own Allakhazam family, so you can expect to see tons of exclusive coverage that only this site will be able to provide. It will all be posted on our BlizzCon wiki.

The ZAM staff is comprised of hardcore gamers, and their excitement is already shining through in their coverage of the event. Yesterday afternoon was primarily just registration and the pre-show, but you can already find a wealth of exclusive information on our wiki. The opening ceremony hasn't even started yet, but you can check out a photo gallery, a recap of some upcoming WoW projects as told by Lead Designer Jeff Kaplan (dance studio, anyone?), an editorial by Editor-in-Chief Andrew "Tamat" Beegle on the unlucky fans who were unable to get tickets, and an interview with our very own WoW Senior Content Manager Brian "Wordaen" Kincaid on attending his first BlizzCon.

Keep checking our BlizzCon wiki for continuous updates throughout the weekend and keep reading below for more in-depth information.

The ZAM staff is going to be incredibly busy this weekend providing you with intense coverage of BlizzCon, including exclusive interviews and photos. Here's a summary of the schedule of events, which can be found on our wiki or on the official BlizzCon site.

The opening ceremony will kick off at 11 a.m., followed by a multitude of events and panels. The World of Warcraft UI and mods will also be discussed today, as will the game's art and class design. Of course, WoW is not the only Blizzard game being showcased at this convention. Diablo III's class design and gameplay will get their very own panels today, as will Starcraft II's gameplay and art.

Speaking of Diablo III, Blizzard is providing a playable demo, so don't be surprised if our BlizzCon wiki gets you up to speed on the highly anticipated game.

Are discussion panels not your style? Well, WoW tournaments will be held throughout the day, leading up to the quarter-finals this evening. The global competition will end on Saturday afternoon. Also, a dance, machinima and costume content will be held tonight.

The fun continues tomorrow with more WoW panels, which include discussions on PvP, raids and dungeons and classes. Diablo III's lore and art will also get the focus of its own panel. Oh, and did I mention the continuous open gaming and exhibitions?

One article cannot contain the mammoth that is BlizzCon 2008, so be sure to keep checking our BlizzCon wiki throughout the weekend for exclusive content that only our Allakhazam community can provide. Personally, I feel the chat with WoW Senior Designer Jeff Kaplan is already full of interesting news, and the event hasn't even kicked into high gear yet. He mentions Blizzard is looking at a way to rate guilds on PvE and PvP, which would add a new competitive level to the game. Also, Jeff said that they're planning to resolve the Ashbringer storyline in 3.3. While WoW's gameplay is great, it's the lore that makes it truly unique.

As you can probably guess, I'm not at BlizzCon right now. If you weren't able to attend, then the next best thing is to read news and updates from true MMORPG fans, such as the members of the ZAM team in attendance. Need proof? Check out the interview with Wordaen. The Keeper of the Banstick is excited to be at BlizzCon, which is the same enthusiasm we all have for gaming.