Diablo fans have been eagerly awaiting details on the endgame loop and progression systems coming in Diablo 4. A new Forbes Interview which provides some juicy info straight from Blizzard on what to expect from Diablo 4’s seasons, story delivery, Battle Pass, and expanded menagerie of monsters.
Diablo 4 is seeing strong player interest with over a million people playing it daily and over 5 million subscribers based on Twitch viewership and engagement. In the past 30 days, Diablo 4 had over 6 million active players and 74 million Twitch hours watched.
The peak concurrent Twitch viewers reached 374,073, showing fans are eager to get an early look at the gameplay and content. While active players declined by about 625,000 in the past month, this is likely due to the lack of new info since the early June gameplay trailer reveal.
Diablo 4 Content Leaks and Upcoming DLC
While the Forbes interview didn’t reveal specific details about future Diablo 4 expansions, a recent Dexerto article dug into potential upcoming DLC storylines. The end of Diablo 4 sets the stage for the return of the Prime Evils like Diablo and Mephisto, who were conspicuously absent in the base game. With the demon Lilith now defeated, her warning that the Prime Evils could invade Sanctuary again seems prophetic.
Dexerto speculates Mephisto may be the first Prime Evil fought in an expansion, as the final scene shows his wolf aspect stalking Nyrelle, who stole his Soulstone. Diablo 4’s narrative lead-in hints the Lord of Terror and other Prime Evils may be gearing up to make their move on Sanctuary without Lilith to stop them.
Once Blizzard ramps up marketing and launches beta testing, expectation is that player interest will surge.
Seasons – Events and Rewards
According to Blizzard, Diablo 4’s seasons will be more meaningful than Diablo 3’s, with special events and additional objectives to pursue. New legendary powers and cosmetic rewards will be introduced each season, giving players incentive to start seasonal characters and participate. The seasons will also feature unique events like buffs for specific magic types or enemy behaviors to shake up the gameplay.
Ongoing Story Quests Across Seasons
The main story campaign will kick off Diablo 4 at launch, but the narrative will continue through seasonal content drops. New story quests in each season will advance the overall plot and provide deeper insights into the motivations of key characters like Lilith. Spreading out the story over seasons gives something for Diablo fans to look forward to with each new update.
Battle Pass With Exclusive Cosmetics
For those wanting to show off, Diablo 4 will include a Battle Pass with each season that offers exclusive cosmetic rewards. These are earned by playing during that season and can include weapon and armor transmogs, portraits, pets, and more. The Battle Pass will have both free and premium reward tracks, allowing all players to earn some cool new looks.
New and Twisted Demonic Monsters
While Diablo 4 will include all the classic hellspawn you expect, Blizzard is expanding the bestiary with over 150 new monsters. Some will be completely new demonic creatures, while others will be twisted versions of familiar foes, like the Bonebreaker which is a more powerful version of the Fallen. We can look forward to plenty of fresh abominations to slay.
With major updates planned for Diablo 4’s endgame every 3-4 months, it seems Blizzard is committed to keeping the loot grind engaging with considerable new content and features in each seasonal package.
Diablo fans should come away optimistic about the roadmap discussed here as Blizzard aims to evolve on the Diablo 3 formula in meaningful ways. We’ll have to wait and slay to see how it all comes together when Diablo 4 hits PC and consoles in 2023.
