The story in Diablo 4 is shaping up to be a cinematic experience that continuously evokes the legendary cutscenes of Diablo 2, but Blizzard Entertainment has also revealed that players won't be forced into completing it over and over again on their way to the endgame. When Diablo 4 unveiled its announcement trailer at BlizzCon 2018, fans were already introduced to the antagonist of the game and undoubtedly its most central character: Lilith. The daughter of Mephisto and Mother of Sanctuary is enacting her scheme on the mortal world, and much of the player's journey across the reaped regions of Diablo 4 is focused on uncovering the mystery behind her plot.
From the first few hours of the game, Diablo 4 establishes that it wants to pursue a specific plot thread from the overarching saga – the creation of Sanctuary by Inarius and Lilith, and the genesis of mankind. In many ways, this is the original sin of the Diablo universe, and the Sin Wars that came after forever tied mankind to the conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells.
According to a recent interview featuring game director Joe Shely and general manager Rod Fergusson, this is a story that Diablo 4 players are obligated to only finish once. Diablo 4 will feature a campaign skip for players wanting to push straight to the endgame on their alt characters – further legitimizing the popularity of Adventure Mode from Reaper of Souls. If the open world in Diablo 4 is reminiscent of Adventure Mode, this is by design, as the developers at Blizzard Entertainment were heavily influenced by the best parts of all previous Diablo games.
In addition to its cinematic campaign, the open world in Diablo 4 has been built to support world bosses, player vs. player combat, randomized dungeons, and more. Players will be able to traverse its vastness with the introduction of mounts in Diablo 4, and exploration will play a crucial role in power progression – with the added benefit that these bonuses earned through the Renown system will be tied to a player's Diablo 4 account rather than the character who earned them.
Unfortunately, the game's production is not without its red flags, as recent news has revealed that the development team for Diablo 4 is reportedly under a lot of crunch as it prepares to meet the rumored release date of June 5, 2023. Long hours, frequent overtime, and a great deal of stress seem to mark the troubled production of Diablo 4, despite the game being delayed back in 2021. As many as twenty developers quit from a single department in pursuit of healthier hours and better pay, and Diablo fans are worried that these working conditions will severely affect the outcome of the game's release. Though beta impressions have largely been positive, only time will tell what kind of launch Diablo 4 will have in 2023.
Diablo 4 will launch in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Wowhead
