Diablo 4: Release date, trailer, new enemies, character customization & more
Blizzard EntertainmentDiablo 4 is coming, and it’s one of 2023’s most anticipated arrivals. To get you up to speed, here’s a complete hub featuring all the details you need about Blizzard’s new RPG from its release date to its story.
Diablo is one of Blizzard’s most iconic franchises. The long-running war between Heaven and Hell has spanned three games so far, and the fourth installment was announced all the way back at Blizzcon 2019.
Since then, Blizzard has also released the mobile game Diablo Immortal – although microtransactions shrouded its release in controversy.
However, Diablo 4 is the true sequel to Diablo 3 and is the game fans of the series have been clamoring for. The game looks to be combining the best parts of Diablo 3 and Diablo 2 into what may be the most exciting and complete entry in the series yet.
Here’s everything we know about Diablo 4.
Contents
- Diablo 4: Release date
- Diablo 4: Early Access
- Diablo 4: Platforms
- Diablo 4: Trailers
- Diablo 4: New Enemies
- Diablo 4: Character Classes
- Diablo 4: Character Customization
- Diablo 4: Gameplay
- Diablo 4: Story details
- Diablo 4: Crossplay & cross-progression
- Diablo 4: Seasons
- Diablo 4: Microtransactions
Diablo 4 was first announced all the way back in 2019, and features Lilith as its demonic poster child.Diablo 4 release date and launch time
The official release date for Diablo 4 is June 6, 2023, although this might differ slightly depending on your region. You can see individual launch times below:
- United States: June 5, 2023, at 4PM PT
- UK/Europe: June 6, 2023, at 12AM
- Asia: June 6, 2023, at 8AM
This release date was revealed during The Game Awards 2022, during which Blizzard also dropped another trailer for the game alongside information regarding Open Beta Early Access.
Diablo 4 Early Access details
If you pre-order the Deluxe Edition or Ultimate Edition of Diablo 4, you’ll get Early Access which goes live a few days before the game’s general release.
Here are the launch dates and times for Early Access:
- United States: June 1, 2023, at 4 PM PT
- UK/Europe: June 2, 2023, at 12 AM
- Asia: June 2, 2023, at 8 AM
Final Beta
Players will be able to access the final Diablo 4 beta at the following times:
PDT: 12 PM, May 12 – 12 PM, May 14
EDT: 3 PM, May 12 – 3 PM, May 14
BST: 8 PM, May 12 – 8 PM, May 14
CET: 9 PM, May 12 – 9 PM, May 14
The servers will be live at this point, and Diablo fans can jump straight into the first lot of early access and experience the game.
What platforms will Diablo 4 be released on?
Diablo 4 will be available for PC users via Blizzard’s official Battle.net app, as well as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
A Switch version of the title has not been announced as of yet, so Nintendo fans will have to wait a little longer to know. Also, there will be no last-gen release for PS4 and Xbox One, so players will have to upgrade to next-gen if they haven’t already.
Diablo 4 trailers
The official cinematic for Diablo 4 dropped at Blizzcon in 2019 and made quite an imprint on the Diablo fandom.
Gameplay deep dive
The Xbox & Bethesda Gaming Showcase 2022 showcases PvP, the endgame, paragon boards, and plenty more. Check it out below.
Official Trailer
The extensive cinematic follows the journey of three treasure hunters that are attempting to break into an ancient-looking tomb. With the forced help of a badly wounded priest, the troop break into what appears to be the burial ground of Lilith, daughter of demon lord Mephisto.
As the hunters are picked off one by one and zombified by a dark cultist, their blood becomes the key ingredient in a ritual to summon the demon princess herself.
Gameplay Trailer
Accompanying this particularly gruesome cinematic is the official gameplay trailer, which showcases the 3D world of Sanctuary in all its hack-and-slash glory. It also introduces us to three completely new classes; the Barbarian, Sorceress, and Druid.
BlizzConline 2021 Rogue Trailer
BlizzConline 2021 brought us a few bite-size details regarding the new title, and one of these is a trailer for the new class, Rogue. With a focus on high-speed gameplay that channels the Assassin and Demon Hunter of previous iterations, she looks like quite the force to be reckoned with.
The Game Awards 2022 Release Date Trailer
During The Game Awards 2022, Blizzard officially revealed the release date trailer, which provided a high-quality cinematic, showcasing segments of Diablo 4’s lore.
Diablo 4: New enemies
As revealed in Blizzard’s June Quarterly Update, there are a whole host of new terrifying creatures tearing through the veil and making their way to conquer Sanctuary in Diablo 4.
From the beautifully bloody Blood Bishop to the gruesome spider corpse, you can see some of Diablo 4’s newest foes right here. As the game is likely to feature a war between the fallen angel Inarius and his former demonic consort Lilith, we could be fighting both angels and demons in Diablo 4.
Of course, neither of these characters has any allegiance to the forces of Heaven or Hell and each has their own agenda, but we imagine Diablo and his brothers will also be plotting their own return – taking advantage of the chaos.
Diablo 4: Character Classes
The confirmed character classes so far are the following: Barbarian, Necromancer, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Druid – each being a returning class from either Diablo 1, 2, or 3. There are no new classes revealed in Diablo 4 as of yet.
There could be DLC or expansion packs that introduce more classes in time, after all, the developers have confirmed there will be new story content every few months.
While the Wizard class is unlikely to appear as they are interchangeable with the Sorcerer, others might appear at a later date. However, we expect that the Amazon, Assassin, and Demon Hunter classes could be incorporated into the Rogue class in Diablo 4, rather than return as individual classes. The same could also be said of the Warrior class and the returning Barbarian.
Although this means that either the Paladin or Crusader could return, as well as the Witch Doctor and Monk classes.
Diablo 4: Character customization
While players were limited to the preset characters of Diablo 2, and the limited customization options in Diablo 3, Diablo 4 will let players deck out their character to their heart’s content.
With the ability to choose everything from their facial features to their armor, the next installment in the Diablo story gives players the ability to truly make the warrior of their dreams.
For the first time in the Diablo series, players have free reign over their character’s design.Diablo 4 gameplay
Diablo 4 very much mirrors the style that has made the series so iconic. A hack-and-slash style dungeon crawler, the game stays true to its roots. Upgrades to the in-game visuals have been implemented, as well as camps and mounts are being introduced, as well as varied terrain that adds more verticality.
Additionally, players can expect a “shared world” where they can interact with others, tackle world bosses, or embark on quests together. Therefore, expect the game to feel more like Lost Ark in this regard.
Blizzard also confirmed that the game will launch with almost 150 dungeons, meaning there will be plenty to loot, as well as Strongholds that require players clear enemies to reclaim them.
The new Ranged DPS, the Rogue, is looking to stem the tide of evil.New Paragon system
In an end-of-year post added to Blizzard’s Diablo 4 blog, the developers provided an update on its plans for the title’s endgame leveling mechanics. Like Diablo 3, Diablo 4 will use a Paragon system once players have hit the soft level cap. However, Diablo 4’s Paragon system will be different to Diablo 3’s.
Once players reach level 50, their character will begin to level differently, just like in Diablo 3, although this time, players will be able to access the new Paragon Board. This looks a little bit like Final Fantasy X’s sphere grid, and will allow players to access new customization options and powers that may not have been available prior to reaching it.
Players will activate digital tiles that will either provide basic buffs, or incredibly powerful upgrades, with some even offering sockets for glyphs among other rewards. These glyphs can also be upgraded and leveled, allowing that character to grow even more powerful over time.
Players can fill their Paragon Board, but this isn’t the end of their post-game upgrades. Once they reach the edge of the board, the tiles around the perimeter will serve as gateways to new Paragon Boards, meaning characters can be leveled even further. The next Paragon Board may offer even more rewards, with some including magical, rare, and legendary tiles to be discovered.
Blizzard has said that, “The desired outcome is a personalized set of bonuses that will empower your here and honor your dedication to their progression, that will remain fun to tweak and adjust over many playthroughs.” The devs are hoping that the system will offer “more depth and replayability” than Diablo 3’s Paragon system, which just offered another way to level up.
A portion of a Paragon Board in Diablo 4.What is Diablo 4 about?
Diablo 4 sees us return to a Sanctuary that has been plunged into chaos by the awakening of Lilith, the daughter of the Lord of Hatred, Mephisto. Having been exiled for millennia, the horned nightmare is back with a vengeance, possibly against former lover – Inarius.
Chosen as the one person capable of stopping her onslaught, your character will battle through hordes of demons, undead, and all things hellish in order to slay the evil temptress once and for all.
Diablo himself is often the final boss of the titular series, but Lilith appears to be the sole big bad in Diablo 4 so far. However, this could be a misdirect, the Lord of Terror often finds a way back to Sanctuary – no matter how utterly he’s defeated.
Does Diablo 4 have crossplay & cross-progression?
During the 2022 Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, Blizzard confirmed that Diablo 4 will feature crossplay and cross-progression.
“Before you read further, we are excited to announce that Diablo IV will launch in 2023 on Windows PC, Xbox One X|S, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5 and will host cross-play and cross-progression for all platforms,” they write in their official blog.
“On console, players may also slay demons side-by-side with a friend through couch-co-op.”
The Necromancer completes the five launch classes for Diablo 4.Diablo 4 Seasons
In a quarterly update in August 2022, Blizzard confirmed that, like its processors, Diablo 4 will benefit from seasonal play. The company is aiming to create four seasons a year once Diablo 4 launches in 2023.
Blizzard said: “We agree one of the most fun ways to play Diablo is through Seasons, so we’re making the first one available soon after launch and building a dedicated team to bring you up to four Seasons a year, each with major new features, questlines, enemies, legendary items, and more.”
Microtransactions in Diablo 4
The devs have confirmed that Diablo 4 will not feature pay-to-win mechanics. Microtransactions will exist, but they will be purely for cosmetic items.
The microtransactions that appeared in Diablo Immortal soured the experience for many players who felt the game relied on a pay-to-win mechanic to progress. While Diablo Immortal is steadily taking steps in the right direction, the damage has been done as far as some are concerned.
Blizzard has stressed that transactions will be optional and transparent. Diablo 4 players have been encouraged only to buy something from the store if they want to, and will never feel the “need” to do so.
During the August 2022 quarterly update, the devs said, “Players can experience all core and seasonal gameplay features without spending money. Our goal is for players to enjoy going to the Shop, buy something when it catches their fancy, and walk away happy with what they bought.”
So that’s everything we know so far about the newest chapter in Diablo’s devilish tale. For more release hubs, check out all we know on the following games:
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