'Diablo IV' to unleash hell in 2023

Blizzard has released a new in-depth look at the long-awaited installment in the acclaimed dungeon crawler action role-playing game franchise, Diablo.

Unveiled during the 2022 Xbox Games Showcase Event on Monday, the new trailer for Diablo IV showed off some of the features of the highly anticipated RPG, which will launch on PC, Xbox One X|S, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5 in 2023.

First off, the new trailer revealed that the fifth and final class in Diablo IV will be the Necromancer, joining previously announced characters like Barbarian, Druid, Rogue, and Sorceress.

Capable of bending blood, bone and darkness to their will, the “scythe-wielding purveyor of death” can summon armies of the undead to “carry out their bidding” or use fearsome magic to dispatch Golems armed with special abilities.

Meanwhile, Blizzard’s new gameplay footage also showcased Diablo IV’s Sanctuary, a vast and rich world teeming with terrifying creatures such as demons and the undead.

Aside from nightmarish monsters, Diablo IV’s open world adventure is also filled with strongholds that are occupied by evil forces. However, players can reclaim and transform these areas into safe havens to open new friendly towns and unlock new dungeons.

In a blog post, Diablo franchise’s Adam Fletcher said that players can explore nearly 150 dungeons throughout Diablo IV’s main questline and even beyond.

Additionally, there are local and quick story events that players can participate in the Sanctuary. The game will also spawn massive demons that will require teamwork from players just to take them down.

In terms of personalization, Fletcher said that Diablo IV also offers the “most robust character customization” in the franchise as well as a wide array of powerful weapons, armors, talents and abilities.

Furthermore, Fletcher said that Diablo IV players can further customize their experience by "choosing how and when they want to engage with other players roaming the lands of Sanctuary with fulfilling PvE and PvP experiences."

“If forming a forceful team is your preference, you’re in luck – the systems of Diablo IV have been developed from the ground up to support forming groups and playing the game together,” he added.

Fletcher said that barriers have been removed via cross-play to allow players with different characters levels or points in the story to “form a party and be rewarded while playing together.”

“Players across different platforms can seamlessly join games with each other through cross-play. But if battling your fellow adventurers is more your forte, Mephisto’s hatred has cursed certain areas of the world, creating PVP zones where battles take a turn. Once players mark themselves as “hostile,” these high-risk, high-reward areas of Sanctuary allow players to take a swing at others for their valuable loot. But be warned. This also opens you up to being swung at,” he explained.

As for Diablo IV’s end-game feature, the latest installment offers an endless number of activities and customizations such as the Nightmare Dungeons, which are filled with enhanced threats and difficulty in the form of new objectives and afflictions to the dungeon.

The Tree of Whispers, on the other hand, offers an end-game system that will provide players with frequently cycling world objectives and bounties that deliver rewards such as Legendary gear, experience, and crafting materials.

“Once players reach max level, the Paragon Board will unlock, and with it, hundreds of optional paths to further customize your hero’s build.  The end game is truly just the beginning,” he said.