Diablo 4 has recovered from launch hiccups, poor server capacity, microtransaction costs, and a near-game ending first patch to become a Blizzard staple, with the gaming giants now planning to support the action RPG sequel well into the future.
Rod Fergusson, the general manager of all things Diablo-related, unpacked the failures and the successes of Diablo 4 in an interview with Video Game Chronicle, sharing how the team has been learning from gaming data and player feedback to mould the title into what it looks like in September 2024—and how, despite all the bumps it took to get this to moment, Blizzard is now all-in on “supporting the game for years to come.”
Much like Diablo 3, the Blizzard devs plan on working hard on Diablo 4 for the long haul, so long as there are players out there interested in the title. While they can’t predict the future, Fergusson explained that Blizzard will “support the game for years to come, whether through seasons or expansions and those sorts of things.” We’re already seeing the team’s dedication to making Diablo 4 a game in it for the long run too, particularly through Blizzard’s attempt at constantly improving and evolving the seasons and introducing expansions.
(I’m sure the fact Diablo 4 has already earned more than one billion dollars also reassures Blizzard that this game has revenue potential and long-term staying power.)
It was a long road to this point though, and it’s safe to say the Diablo 4 devs are no strangers to harsh criticism from the gaming community, with the team on the receiving end of backlash even before the title launched. It wasn’t until the Loot Reborn season and its follow-up, Infernal Hordes, that players began to truly support Diablo 4 and it’s changes.
Fergusson conceded early teething pains may have been very needed, with the Diablo 4 dev squad learning, experimenting, and growing through the trials and tribulations. “Season five is as good as it is because of our previous seasons,” the franchise’s boss declared.
All Blizzard’s hard work now continues to bubble away behind the scenes, with Diablo already preparing for its sixth season, which goes live on Tuesday, Oct. 8. There’s bucketloads coming in that next big update too, including leveling changes, the max level being reduced, mercenaries, and a huge World Tiers overhaul, all of which Fergusson confessed the team is already “really excited for [players] to really see.” We don’t have a complete list of changes, but it sounds like Diablo 4 will be a whole new game.
That’s not even what’s coming next for Diablo 4 either; the biggest event for this live service title is its first-ever expansion, Vessel of Hatred, which drops on the same date. It’ll add a new region to explore and a brand-new Diablo class: The Spiritborn.
Hype is unarguably at an all time high for the franchise, and many long-time players (including some of my fellow writers here at Dot Esports) are returning to play.
With all these lessons and experiments, and if the team stays as “active and iterative” as Fergusson has claimed, then Diablo 4 has a bright (and hellishly promising) future ahead.
