Announced long back at BlizzCon 2019, Diablo IV is one action-RPG game that gamers the world over have been expecting for the longest time. Blizzard has been taking its sweet time to release Diablo 4. Thankfully, the company has shared some dev updates that have revealed quite a lot about the upcoming game. At this point, you must be eagerly awaiting any news about Diablo 4. Fortunately, you are at the right place, as we have compiled everything you need to know about the game. So equip your strongest armor and dive into the world of Diablo 4 right now. We have discussed everything from Diablo IV’s gameplay and classes to its release date and supported platforms.
Since we will discuss a variety of different topics about Diablo 4, it might get confusing for some people. However, if you already know what to look for, use the table below to directly read about that.
Diablo 4 Release Date (Confirmed)Diablo 4 Platforms and CrossplayDiablo 4 Beta Test: Sign Up ProcessDiablo 4 Storyline: What Is the Game About?
Five RegionsDiablo 4 Campaign Length (Confirmed)Diablo 4 New Classes and AbilitiesWhat is the Gameplay Like in Diablo 4?
New Skill SystemNew Monster FamiliesItem/ Weapon ChangesNew StatsDiablo 4 PvP and Online ModesIs Diablo 4 Pay to Win?Will Diablo 4 Have Microtransactions?Diablo 4 Price: Will the Game Be Free?
Five Regions
New Skill SystemNew Monster FamiliesItem/ Weapon ChangesNew Stats
Diablo 4 Release Date (Confirmed)
First, let’s get the most asked question out of the way. While Diablo 4 was initially expected to release in late 2022, we now know that isn’t going to happen. Microsoft-owned developer Blizzard Entertainment has now confirmed that Diablo 4 will release sometime in 2023. Unfortunately, a more specific release date isn’t available at the moment.
At launch, Diablo 4 will be available to play on PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and last-generation consoles (PS4 & Xbox One) in 2023. For those unaware, Blizzard has been bought by Microsoft. So one would expect that the game to be an Xbox exclusive. Thankfully, that’s not the case, as Diablo 4 will be coming to a variety of platforms right at launch. Moreover, PC players will love that Diablo 4 will even support controllers.
When it comes to crossplay, during the recent Xbox and Bethesda showcase, it has been confirmed that Diablo 4 will come with crossplay and cross-progression across all platforms. However, do note that you will require a Battle.Net account.
Dungeon raiders have been itching for some kind of Diablo 4 beta. And to their surprise, some fans even spotted a Diablo IV beta on the Battle.Net launcher back in July. However, Rod Fergusson, GM of the Diablo franchise, has confirmed that the beta was only an internal test. As such, there is currently no Alpha or Beta testing going on for Diablo 4.
Hey all, I’m loving all the energy and excitement about a Diablo IV Beta showing up on https://t.co/2SrGzd8wmI but you should know that this is an internal only test. Sorry! We will have more public testing in the future as we continue down the path to shipping in 2023! pic.twitter.com/LvR6mSTjTZ— Rod Fergusson (@RodFergusson) July 22, 2022
For those of you who have forgotten about Diablo 3’s storyline, let me give you a quick refresher. The world of Diablo takes place as a never-ending battle between the armies of High Heavens and Burning Hells, which has been known as the Eternal Conflict. The protagonist, which is you, arrives in the Sanctuary, the mortal world of the game.
As the main player, it’s your job to use your heritage and stop the evil plans of Diablo, which intend to take over the world. You often seek the help of angels for aid in achieving this. However, each Diablo iteration has its own set of stories, characters, and villains.
Well, it’s because of the Heavens that Lilith, the daughter of Lord of Hatred, is set loose from her shackles and walks free. As seen in Diablo 4’s 2019 cinematic trailer, Lilith will likely be the upcoming title’s villain (antagonist) as she takes revenge against everyone who has wronged her. However, this also means Lilith might just overshadow Diablo itself and take over the game as its main villain.
The world of Sanctuary is also set to expand with five different expansive regions in Diablo 4. Instead of being a generic copy-paste of the same regions over and over, the game promises that each region will have its own intricacies. That means players are free to roam around these six regions and navigate through their different passageways, shortcuts, traps, and whatever else lies in their way. Thankfully, Diablo 4 game developer has uploaded a series of videos with some gameplay in these regions. To see them in action, check out the links below.
While not a lot of information about Diablo 4’s story is available right now, rest assured that Lilith’s return and extended screen time will make for a game full of action and drama.
Diablo 4 Campaign Length (Confirmed)
In an interview with Gamespot, Diablo 4 director Joe Shely officially confirmed that the game’s campaign will be a 35-hour experience. Shely promises that the campaign is “just brimming with story and characters that are really human and you can really connect with on an emotional level. We’ve worked really hard on the campaign in Diablo 4, and we’re really proud of how it’s developing.”
Blizzard has already revealed a lot about the classes in Diablo 4 through its monthly dev diary updates. Each class has its own playstyle and abilities, which will help you to make the perfect campaign run. The Diablo 4 classes you will be able to play are:
The barbarian can throw out a wave of energy that damages other enemies among other abilities. If you are the type of player who tries to run headfirst into combat, choose the Barbarian class once Diablo 4 drops.
Being a ranged unit, the sorceress attacks enemies from a distance using elements like lightning, ice, and fire. Furthermore, sorcerers will even be able to enchant skills, thereby, gaining passive abilities.
Druids are able to use the powers of the wind and earth to transform themselves into animal forms like wolfs or bears. This Diablo 4 class is also coming back with new magic abilities and a new design.
Rogue class users will be able to use a variety of weapons, including swords, daggers, and bows, and can even cast shadow magic and place traps. You will even be able to use the Rogue class as a shadowy assassin back from the days of Diablo 2.
Necromancer: The final class in Diablo 4 and also in earlier Diablo, the Necromancer remains a creepy addition to Diablo 4.
With the amazing ability to bring the dead back to life (at least their skeletons), the Necromancer can use their bony friends as extra swords in battle. Top that with unspeakable dark magic, and you have yourself a good combination.
The world of Diablo itself is a hack and slash adventure game that sets players loose in an open world. Diablo 4 will be the same way with its open-world adventures that sees players travel between various hubs. The regions mentioned above will be spread across the map and will allow players to explore them fully. This means, you’ll be able to explore the entire world without any restrictions. To add more visual variety and challenge, these regions will have day/ night cycles along with a weather-changing system.
When it comes to open-world variety, Diablo 4 will feature a non-linear storyline. This means you won’t be forced to stick to a particular quest and its order when playing out the campaign.
Blizzard has taken note of the less-than-intuitive skill system in Diablo 3 and reworked the same in Diablo 4. The upcoming skill system is shaped like a tree (quite literally, as you can see below). There will now be separate sections for Skills and Passives on this tree. The upper section is where players can spend the points that they earn. Players can acquire different nodes in this skills section and build their own perfect playstyle and combination. The passives section will hold more general upgrades to your character.
Do notw, however, that Diablo 4 will not let you unlock all the skills on the new skill tree. The September 2020 Quarterly update mentions that the team is “currently aiming for 30-40% of the nodes filled in for end game, so that players can have very distinct, and different ways they build out their character”.
While Diablo 3 had monsters classified into categories like demons, unholy, and undead, Diablo 4 is coming out with even more monster families. Each family has a different combat style and feel for individuality.
These families also have different archetypes, which will all play their own role in combat. To put it in a simpler way, different families will have different fighting styles. The intention behind creating monster families is to give the world of Diablo 4 a rather distinct approach in comparison to its predecessors. This intricate classification is meant to make the creatures feel more sophisticated and robust.
Blizzard talked about one such monster family in their two-year-old Feb 2020 update. Aptly called The Cannibals, possibly a former tribe of barbarians, these monsters are known for their unending hunger and cruelty. This monster family will have four different members who will each have their own weapons and appearance. Even though by design, the cannibals have no ranged units, they will sprint and leap at the player to damage them.
During the December 2021 Quarterly update, Blizzard shed more light on Diablo 4’s itemization and how they plan to shake things up. The central idea behind the thinking is that the devs have looked through every aspect of itemization. This will allow them to provide a deeper level of weapon customization that sits somewhere between Diablo 2 and 3.
Speaking of specific items, Blizzard has also focused on making sure that dungeon crawlers don’t just go for legendary stuff. To help this, the team is increasing the potential power of individual affixes on Magic items. The maximum number of affixes on Rare and better items in the endgame has also been increased. Legendary affixes now roll randomly on Legendary Items and Unique items will replace Mythics.
And if you really want a specific legendary power from an item, you can find them in multiple item slots. And if you end up finding power on an item you wished was different, you can use the new Occultist to transfer that power or Essence to another item.
Keep in mind that the original item will be destroyed upon the transfer of power. Speaking of items, Ancient ones are being retired. Players will now earn a consumable that lets them attach a legendary affix to non-legendary items, thereby, creating an ancient item of their own.
Diablo 4 will also come with three new stats, which will all have their own effect, and you will also be able to use them before item affixes. The three new stats in Diablo 4 are:
Diablo 4 Endgame Is Different
Diablo 4 is brining back the Paragon board but making it a bit better. For those who don’t know, the Paragon Board in Diablo is for players who have reached the game’s level cap. The board will provide players with useful endgame build customizations and added bonuses after completion.
Each paragon tile you earn will give your character a bonus or a boost that makes you stronger. However, keep in mind that you can only unlock tiles connected to your previous tiles.
When Diablo 3 was released, PvP was one feature that wasn’t added to the game, and it irked many gamers. However, Blizzard has now confirmed that PvP is coming back to the upcoming Diablo 4 game. However, instead of it being a compulsory mechanic, PvP will be optional if you don’t want interruptions. So don’t worry as PvP won’t have implications on your main story.
As already mentioned, PvP is optional so you don’t have to get into a battle with fellow players if you don’t want to. However, do note that Diablo 4 is an always-online game. While this isn’t a bad thing, it does mean that you will inhabit a shared world. This means seeing other players in open-world activities and having world events that other players can attend.
Is Diablo 4 Pay to Win?
If you are worried about receiving yet another game with pay-to-win mechanics, then don’t be. Blizzard has confirmed that Diablo 4 is not pay-to-win. To know more details about the same, keep reading below.
A few weeks ago, an unknown Reddit account posted a survey in German. Although the Reddit account was quickly deleted, the survey asked users to choose between one of three versions of Diablo 4 they would pay for. The supposed point behind this survey hinted at the fact that Diablo 4 would come with some form of microtransactions. However, after a few days of fans sweating it out with questions as well as ill remarks against the developer, Blizzard has answered back.
Kegan Clark, director of product for Diablo IV confirmed the same in the latest Diablo 4 August Quarterly update. Furthermore, Clark goes into detail by describing Diablo 4’s upcoming Season Pass and the Shop.
So at the end of the day, while Diablo 4 will feature microtransactions, all of them are purely cosmetic and won’t offer any advantage except maybe a cooler-looking armor set.
Diablo 4 will be a full-price game that you will have to purchase one time. Blizzard has confirmed the same, as you can see from the above section. As for the exact pricing, there has been no official word from the developers. However, based on the $60 release price of Diablo 3 back in 2012, we expect Diablo IV, a game that’s being built from the ground up, to sit on the same table as other AAA titles in 2022-2023. This means Diablo 4 could realistically cost somewhere between $60 to $80 when it releases next year.
