Diablo Games History – What to Expect From Diablo 4

With the pending release of Diablo IV thrusting fans’ anticipation through the ether, it’s the perfect moment to reexamine the history of the legendary gaming franchise.

This article is designed to recount the history of Diablo releases and gives the lowdown on what to expect from the series’ latest installment.

A brief history of the Diablo series  

If you’re a fan of the series, there’s much to be excited about as the gaming world waits to see if Blizzard can deliver on its announced release date.

But before getting into what to expect from Diablo IV and prospecting Diablo 4 services, let’s look at the history of one of the most popular video game series ever.

Diablo (1996) Blizzard Entertainment officially released the groundbreaking action RPG (role-playing game) on December 31, 1996, taking gamers to a fascinating universe, offering an extensive selection of weapons, armor, and spells, facilitated by an innovative battle engine that quickly captivated fans.

Diablo delegated gamers to save the town of Tristram, caught in the middle of an unending battle between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells.

Players explored mazes within dungeons as they battled a deluge of demons on their way to facing Diablo, The Lord of Terror.

While the game’s single-player mode enabled players to uncover Diablo’s deep storyline, its multiplayer environment allowed gamers to battle online.

The multiplayer mode quickly became one of the game’s strong suits, and Diablo built a massive community of devoted fans powered by Blizzard’s free online network.

Diablo II (2000) 

Diablo II’s addictive hack-and-slash gameplay fueled it to build on the success of its predecessor, with its free access network Battle.net continuing to captivate gamers worldwide.

The game opens with the hero attaching Diablo’s Soulstone to his head in a questionable attempt to contain the Lord of Terror. This quickly backfires, with Diablo corrupting the fallen hero and releasing a hoard of demons into the world.

By April 2001, Diablo II became one of the most popular online games of all time.

Diablo II: Lord of Destruction (2001) 

Just a year after Diablo II’s release, Blizzard Entertainment released the expansion pack “Lord of Destruction” (LoD), adding new character classes and scenarios while revamping the gameplay of Diablo 2.

The improved gameplay made LoD a “must-buy” for Diablo fans and of the most successful expansion packs ever.

Diablo III (2012) 

After years of rumors, Blizzard announced the third game in the Diablo series on June 2008. However, it would take four more years—over a decade after the last release—for the official launch of Diablo III, which came out in May 2012.

The game took players 20 years after the events of Diablo II to a dark fantasy world called Sanctuary.

Apart from introducing new characters, Diablo 3 incorporated the Havok physics engine, allowing players to interact with the environment.

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls (2014) 

This expansion pack was released in two versions: a standard edition and a collector’s edition for double the price (USD$80). For the premium, fans got exclusive in-game content and bonus items.

Aided by adding a new chapter to the Diablo III storyline and implementing improvements based on user feedback, Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls sold 2.7 million copies within the first week and became the second-bestselling PC title in 2014.

Diablo III: Rise of the Necromancer (2017) 

Players needed “Reaper of Souls” installed on their PC or the Ultimate Evil Edition for consoles to use the downloadable content pack. Rise of the Necromancer didn’t have a physical version, and it was sold through an in-game online store and console marketplaces.

Diablo Immortal (2022) 

Initially designed to be a mobile release, Diablo Immortal was expanded to support PC and game controllers.

The massively multiplayer online action RPG reached 30 million downloads within a month of its initial release and USD$100 million in revenue after just eight weeks. However, it also received mixed reviews due to the game’s focus on microtransactions.

What to expect from Diablo IV?

Few game franchises have endured and aged as gracefully as the Diablo series. And even less manage to elevate anticipation levels for a pending release.

If you’ve been looking forward to the latest game from the iconic franchise, below are some of the things you can expect from Diablo 4.

• It’s set for a June 2023 release 

After announcing Diablo IV at BlizzCon 2019 with a lengthy cinematic trailer, Blizzard Entertainment finally announced a June 6, 2023 release date with another ominous trailer at The Game Awards in December 2022. 

• It has full character customization 

Players can adorn their characters with hundreds of unique armor pieces and choose from an extensive lineup of detailed facial and body characteristics. In addition, players can add jewelry, makeup, and body markings. These character customizations promise to feature in “Diablo IV’s” menus and cinematic sequences.

• Build choices will have more meaning 

According to game director Joe Shely and general manager Rod Fergusson, Diablo IV’s class gameplay is designed to emphasize the dynamics between characters. For example, a player using a barbarian grouped with a sorceress will present opportunities to explore exciting gameplay options.

The two added that players can re-spec their skill tree at a cost. Players can make more meaningful choices as they progress, unlike previous games like Diablo 3, where the player’s equipment defined their builds.

This emphasis on build dynamics, combined with Diablo IV’s new skill tree, results in different builds within the same class.  

• It has a massive open world 

Diablo IV will allow players to explore the open world’s five regions in any order. And with numerous routes and hidden paths to navigate, players will have autonomy over how they uncover “Diablo IV’s” vast open world.

Diablo IV will feature a new Paragon system. Players who reach level 50 get access to the Paragon Board, which enables specific power boosts and character customization. One of the fastest ways to reach max level in D4 is to buy a power leveling service from a reputable game-boosting company like KBoosting.

Those familiar with Diablo 3’s Paragon system should enjoy the new game’s revised system, which offers a personalized set of bonuses to promote players’ dedication to their builds and character progression.  

• It will have cross-platform multiplayer 

Diablo IV’s cross-play will be fully open between platforms, meaning players on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation can enjoy any multiplayer mode.

Final words 

Over 16 years after the series release, Diablo IV promises to build on everything fans have loved from the game franchise. Diablo’s compelling storylines, rich lore, atmospheric world-building, and character progressions all work together seamlessly to produce an immersive, addictive game loop that keeps fans returning for more.