Despite the well-document controversy around Diablo Immortal's reveal, the game's alpha test impressions were surprisingly warm. Of course, for many, this may just build hype for the next main entry in the franchise, Diablo 4.
With a new year now here, many are likely looking forward to receiving Diablo 4 news, updates, and more. However, when hoping for such material, keeping expectations in check is always important, with some key information seemingly more likely to be revealed than others.
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First things first, Blizzconline is just about a month away, meaning there's a good chance the biggest info dump of the year occurs then. As a result, the information revealed there will likely set the tone for the rest of the year. This is Blizzard's first impression of the new year, and as such, expecting the most out of Blizzconline is a reasonable expectation. Now, whether that's a cinematic trailer, a slight dose of gameplay, or whatnot remains to be seen, but just because fans can reasonably expect the most out of Diablo 4 doesn't mean that everything will happen here.
No, instead it seems likely that Diablo 4 will continue to issue quarterly updates, where the minutiae can truly be expected in terms of reveals. If not at Blizzconline, then information on next-gen consoles will likely come sometime this year as well (but Blizzconline does seem likely for this kind of thing). Notably, the only currently confirmed platforms for Diablo 4 are PC, PS4, and Xbox One, meaning next-gen upgrades and features will likely be revealed at some point this year.
When it comes to a game like Diablo 4, the most important thing fans can do is temper expectations. It's not the kind of game that appears overnight; Diablo 3, for example, was in development for 11 years. For Diablo 4, it's unlikely to take that long, but it will likely take some time after it began in earnest around 2016. As such, expecting a release date, tons of information, or for marketing to really hit its stride seems unlikely. Instead, the likeliest bits to come related to this is a release window (at best), continued quarterly updates, and maybe just a trailer or two.
One of the biggest questions for Diablo 4 is what its other two launch classes are, which is where Blizzconline comes in. If it even reveals one class, then it's likely that the company is more forthcoming and the most of the managed expectations may be met over the new year. If not, then fans shouldn't really expect much more until E3 time-ish, or whatever replaces E3, or later this year.
Diablo 4 is a tricky game to pin down in terms of its approach to development, marketing, and the like. Ultimately, what may prove some of these thoughts right or wrong is how Blizzconline goes. If it's incredibly forthcoming and more than what can be reasonably expected is revealed, a 2021 or 2022 release may not be off the table. However, fans should not hold their breath for 2021 to be the year of Diablo 4.
Diablo 4 is in development with PC, PS4, and Xbox One as confirmed platforms.
