Diablo 4 is going to be a massive deal for Blizzard who are well aware of that fact - the developer has been keeping information about the game tight to its chest right now, especially with the mobile Diablo Immortal on the horizon first. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few details regarding Diablo 4 circulating in the wild however, and what we know currently is exciting enough that fans are already coming back around on the franchise after its recent BlizzCon blunder.
Diablo 4 will have the weight of the world on its shoulders whenever it does come out, fairly or not. With many core fans of the series disappointed by Blizzard’s decision to shuttle the game over to mobile devices in its next iteration, there’s a growing sense that Diablo 4 could become a do-or-die situation for one of the most iconic IPs Blizzard has ever created. Given the fact that Blizzard apparently sees Diablo 3 as a failure despite a critically renowned expansion in Reaper of Souls, it might not just be fans who need to see major improvement out of the next main game in the series, currently codenamed “Fenris” in development.
What we know about Diablo 4 suggests the game could actually live up to the lofty expectations fans will have for it. First of all, Blizzard is clearly committed to producing an excellent product - Diablo 4 has already been restarted once, after an attempt at making the game more Souls-like was deemed a failure internally. This means that the developer is willing to take its time to ensure it gets Diablo 4 right, especially at launch - an event that failed Diablo 3 and created a lot of resentment amongst fans thanks to server errors, the real-money auction house system, and a more cartoon-y interpretation of the Gothic world of Sanctuary.
Diablo 4 Will Be Dark And More Gothic
We also know that internally the goal is to back off the more animated, bright graphics that were present in Diablo 3. A quote from a recent report run on the development of Diablo 4 (and the end of Diablo 3) suggested that Blizzard wants to make the game “gross” and “dark,” and to get rid of any of the elements that were interpreted as cartoony in Diablo 3. That direction seems to indicate that Blizzard is willing to admit folly with some of the art direction in Diablo 3, which should be welcome news to fans.
Diablo 4 May Be More Like Destiny in Its Online Offerings
Another element of the new Diablo 4 project is that Blizzard apparently wants to make the game much more social than its predecessors. According to the same report, Blizzard is actively taking inspiration from Bungie’s Destiny in terms of social elements, and will also be drawing on the developer’s own experience with World of Warcraft by incorporating “light MMO elements.” That’s an ambitious inclusion, but one that should suit Blizzard just fine, and could be implemented as instanced dungeons and big player hubs where players can meet up and trade.
When Is Diablo 4’s Release Date?
Finally, and perhaps most exciting - Diablo 4 might not actually be that far away. Despite Diablo Immortal coming very soon, it appears that Blizzard might be close to launching the main game’s next sequel as well. Reports suggest that we could be seeing Diablo 4 as early as 2020, meaning that the game almost certainly has a core identity in the development phase that Blizzard likes. While there’s every chance the release date gets pushed back, especially with Blizzard being very cautious about announcing Diablo 4, there’s a strong chance it sees the light of day in the next couple of years, which is a huge boon for a fan base that remains divided over where the series is headed in the interim.
More: New Gaming Data Proves Diablo Immortal Is Smart For Blizzard
Source: Kotaku
