The release of the next real Diablo title by Blizzard is not so far away. So we're giving you a rundown of all the important info on its various facets, like online play, content, player trading, and more in this guide.
Since Diablo 4 has been announced for a few years now, and there is a lot of information, sometimes contradictory, circulating, we have gathered here as much reliable and relevant information about the game as possible. Please keep in mind that the game is not yet officially released, many things are still unknown, and others may change in the coming months. This article will be updated regularly, especially with the release date approaching, when we will finally have the game in hand.
Release date
Diablo 4 is scheduled for the year 2023. It was said at the Xbox Bethesda Showcase held in June 2022 that the game should be released within the last 12 months. This gives a release by June 2023, but delays are common and this was far from a solid commitment. Even the announcement of an official release date would be taken with a grain of salt these days.
Platforms
Diablo 4 is scheduled for PC via Battle.net, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series. You should not expect it to be released on Switch or Android/iOS.
Minimum and recommended system requirements have not yet been announced.
Cross-Play and Cross-Progression are possible on all compatible platforms. So you can play with your friends, no matter what machine you use. You can also resume your game on any machine that has the game, if you use a Battle.net account to synchronize them.
Couch Co-op is possible on consoles, but with a maximum of two players.
Alpha and Beta
At the time of writing, Diablo 4 is in the "friends family" alpha phase, so it's only available to a limited circle of people close to Blizzard employees. Test phases should invite a wider audience in the future, but we have no date or info on how the beta will work.
Pre-orders and game versions
There is very little information on the subject at the moment, which is not surprising, since there is no official release date. According to a leak, pre-orders could open on December 8, 2022, during the game awards.
Monetization
Diablo 4 is a premium game, which means that you will simply have to pay once (probably 60 to 80 euros) to access its content. However, it is a game service, which should be followed for years, which implies a form of monetization of these elements. Paid expansions are being considered.
If Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard goes through, Diablo 4 should be on Game Pass.
The game will include a cosmetic-only premium store, as well as a seasonal season pass, whose paid section will also be cosmetic.
The absolute rule they promise to follow is that Diablo 4 will not be "pay to win." No paid D4 items will provide in-game power gains in any form.
Game Modes
There are several ways to play Diablo 4, to suit different expectations:
Normal vs. Extreme (Hardcore)
When a Normal character dies, he loses some of his gold before reappearing at a waypoint with his equipment.
For an Extreme character, death is final and irrevocable. You are good at creating a new character, since it is not transformed into a Normal character.
Seasonal and Non-Seasonal
Creating a Seasonal character for the current Season is the only way to participate in the Season, but it allows you to get different bonuses and experience the game in a different way. When the season ends, all Seasonal characters become Non-Seasonal characters.
Difficulty
Diablo 4 looks to keep the current Diablo 3 mode, which differs from Diablo 2, as well as Diablo Immortal, and the one available at the game's initial release. A different difficulty mode can be selected from the start. There is no need to finish the story before increasing the difficulty. The basic difficulty, named "Adventurer", is for novices. The "Veteran" mode offers more difficult enemies, but also more experience and Diablo IV gold, as well as better items. For players with a minimum of expertise, this seems to be a much better choice in every respect.
Online play and mandatory connection and multiplayer
As mentioned above, Diablo 4 is an online-only game. You'll probably need a subscription to use multiplayer on consoles, though its absence shouldn't be a problem for single-player.
Clans
It has been confirmed that Diablo 4 will feature a guild system, in this case called clans. Clans have their own banner, as well as a common chest. The various features of the thing are yet to be defined. However, there should be no housing, either for a player or a clan.
A voice chat system will be integrated into the game, for the clan and the group.
