It’s time again for BlizzCon, the gathering of video game fanatics in Anaheim. Irvine-based Blizzard Entertainment sold out about 20,000 tickets to the event, which starts Nov. 8, in typical fashion – practically the moment they went on sale in April. Many of the fans storming the Anaheim Convention Center will be decked out in head-to-toe costumes of characters from the company’s popular gaming franchises, including “Starcraft,” “Warcraft” and “Diablo.”

Blizzard will stream for free online the opening ceremony, which typically includes the announcement of previously guarded secrets about new and upcoming projects, as well as the culmination of a yearlong “Starcraft II” tournament series. For a $40 streaming ticket, you can remotely check in on developer panels, interviews, costume and talent contests, and the closing ceremony, which will include a performance by Blink-182.

In announcing the punk rock band as the closing act, Blizzard asked fans not to attend BlizzCon in the nude (the music video for Blink-182’s hit “What’s My Age Again?” features them running naked through the streets): “Anaheim city ordinances strictly forbid the band from running naked through the streets around the convention center. BlizzCon attendees are kindly asked to adhere to the same policy.”

The virtual ticket includes the exclusive in-game goodies for Blizzard’s latest games, which also come with a ticket to the event itself.

Blizzard, which is largely known for PC games such as “World of Warcraft,” in September released its first console game in years, “Diablo III.” It is also working on a mobile, virtual card-trading game, “Hearthstone,” that’s like the popular “Magic: The Gathering.” That will be released for the iPad as well as PCs and Macs. Gamers might also hear more about a years-old Hollywood plan to make a big-budget, live-action movie around the “Warcraft” franchise.

For more information visit blizzcon.com.

– Ian Hamilton

On the move

Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, the Newport Beach investment management firm known as Pimco, has hired Virginie Maisonneuve as managing director, global head of equities and portfolio manager. She joins the firm from Schroders Plc, an international asset management group. Maisonneuve will be based in Pimco’s London office.

TTM Technologies Inc., a printed circuit-board maker in Costa Mesa, has announced CEO Kenton K. Alder will retire Jan. 1, and be replaced by the company’s president, Thomas T. Edman. Adler has been the chief executive since TTM was founded in 1998 and will remain on the board of directors. Edman became president of the company earlier this year, having been on the board since 2004.

Rancho Santa Margarita-based Virtium, a designer and manufacturer of memory and storage products for industrial systems, has hired Michael Nilsson as senior vice president of sales. Nilsson, who previously led the sales team at Santa Ana-based sTec, will be in charge of all sales and business development at Virtium.

Sabal Financial Group, a Newport Beach-based financial services firm specializing in real estate, lending and banking, has hired Marguerite “Midge” Brogan as managing director of its New York office. Brogan founded real estate advisory firm Park Praedium and previously was a managing director in Lehman Brothers‘ Global Real Estate Group. She will manage business development at Sabal and assist with the firm’s commercial real estate loan transaction services business.

New ventures

Chuze Fitness has opened a new gym in Garden Grove at 12145 Brookhurst St. The location includes a lap pool, HydroMassage and a cardio cinema room akin to a darkened movie theater but with cardio equipment instead of plush seats. Chuze Fitness has another Orange County location in Cypress as well as a gym scheduled to open in Westminster in December.

Milestones

The Auto Club of Southern California Insurance Group has been ranked No. 1 in J.D. Power’s 2013 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. This is the first time the group, which has its administrative offices in Costa Mesa, has achieved the top ranking in the national study. The results were based on a survey of more than 11,500 auto insurance customers across all carriers.

Coming up

The California State Board of Equalization and the city of Santa Ana are hosting a free small business fair at The Delhi Center in Santa Ana on Nov. 6. Representatives from organizations including the Employment Development Department, the Franchise Tax Board and the Internal Revenue Service will give presentations on topics such as sales tax, forms of ownership and marketing for small businesses. The event starts at 9 a.m. More information can be found at boe.ca.gov/sutax/sbf.htm.

Overheard A lot of the male designers focus on the big picture but not the finer detail development, while a lot of the female designers I’ve had enjoy working it out to the very last stitch.”

-John Krsteski, a Hyundai design manager in Irvine, explaining to the New York Times the value of drawing more women into car design

Kathleen Luppi of the Register staff contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: 714-796-3589 or ksablan@ocregister.com