Diablo V: all you need to know
Diablo V will be released in 2029 at the earliest, but Blizzard has already shared some interesting details. It seems the action RPG will be nothing like its predecessor.
Along with World of Warcraft: Forever, the announcement of Diablo V generated the loudest cheers at Blizzcon’s opening ceremony. Although it won’t be released for at least another three years, that’s a much shorter wait than we had between the launch of Diablo III and Diablo IV. Back then, the successor had gamers waiting for eleven years. Now, the new owner, Microsoft, appears to be stepping on the gas.
Although the trailer reveals very few details, it does hint at the return of the franchise’s most iconic character: Diablo himself.
Not just any old boss
At the Forging the Next Era panel at Blizzcon in Los Angeles, the developers revealed some exciting news about Diablo V. For the first time in the game’s history, Diablo has won. The realm known as Sanctuary has fallen.
Source: Blizzard
«You’re living in a world that all other Diablo games were trying to prevent from happening,» says Jennifer Hepler, previously a lead author on Dragon Age and now a new addition to the Blizzard team. «We’re doubling down on darkness,» adds John Mueller, Senior Art Director. After Mephisto’s demise, Sanctuary turned into a pleasant little place. But that’s all over now.
Following his two brothers, Mephisto and Baal, the Lord of Terror is at the centre of the story once again. «We’ve all been hungry for seeing him […]. And to really tell the story of Diablo, we needed to do a sequel,» says producer Matt Zitterman.
Source: Blizzard
The decision-makers at Blizzard knew that Diablo couldn’t just be another boss. Instead, they wanted the eponymous satanic big gun to be more deeply woven into the story’s fabric and significantly shape it. The team briefly toyed with the idea of making Diablo an ambivalent character, similar to Lilith in the fourth instalment. But they quickly came to the conclusion that Diablo is Diablo – a character beyond redemption and evil through and through.
However, this doesn’t stop the main character of the game from having a connection with this epitome of evil. As a player, you have a unique insight into Diablo and can use his power against him. Conversely, this also makes you susceptible to his influence.
Source: Blizzard
Back to procedural
According to Blizzard, the main character will be the Heir of Westmarch – a continent Game Director Joe Shelly calls Diablo’s outpost of hell. The story begins with you learning how to enter the Realm of Terror. Once you’re in, you’ll encounter all sorts of characters including Dread Commanders – corrupted humans who can actively alter the world in a process known as terraforming.
Source: Blizzard
Producer Tiffany Wat reveals that the game is bringing back procedurally generated levels for both for the overworld and the dungeons. This means your environment is ever changing, which makes it feel more dangerous because you never know what’s lurking around the next corner. In the previous game, the world was handcrafted and didn’t change.
A changing city
Perhaps the most exciting difference compared to previous instalments is that there are no more cities. The only safe place you have is you. In Diablo V, you’ll be travelling across the land in a caravan. Wherever you stop, there will be places to explore, people to meet and merchants to trade with.
Source: Blizzard
As the game progresses, new characters join your group. Instead of meeting a new blacksmith in every town, there’s just one you forge a relationship with – ba-dum tss. I’m particularly looking forward to Zarg. The treasure goblin will also be joining your party. «You’re going to get to see him as more than just a loot piñata for once,» Tiffany Wat emphasises. He loves treasure, but you can’t be sure if you can trust him.
Source: Blizzard
In this world ruled by Diablo, you don’t just happen to run into quest givers either. After all, there are only a few survivors left. Instead, everything takes place within your caravan. Hepler points out that every side quest is important and adds that «the real hell is the friends you make along the way.»
The Plague Knight brings disease
Blizzard has also revealed the first playable classes, which include the Demon Hunter and the Monk. A new addition is the Plague Knight. He’s a giant clad in heavy armour, whose main purpose is to bring death and destruction through disease. Diablo V is set to launch with more classes than ever before, though this also includes classes that were added after launch.
Source: Blizzard
There was one final detail revealed by the Blizzard team during the panel: the armour sets featured in Diablo II are back. They’re intended to make combat gear feel more specialised again.
Diablo IV didn’t launch to the fans’ complete satisfaction. But three years and several expansions later, most players are happy now. Let’s hope that Blizzard delivers right from the start this time, despite the shorter development period. If you can’t wait that long, there are some new features coming up for part four.
As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
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