Blizzard insists Diablo 4 still has 'many reasons to keep playing'
Blizzard is trying to reassure fans that Diablo 4 isn't dead, even as the studio announced its successor and confirmed no more expansions for the current game. According to IGN, Diablo 5 is targeting a 2029 release, a six-year gap from Diablo 4's launch.
During BlizzCon 2026, the company announced new content for Diablo 4, including the Season of Hell's Legacy starting September 15 and the Amazon class arriving in the first half of 2027. Diablo 4 is also coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. Diablo 5 game director Joe Shely told IGN the current game has "bright support" and a dedicated team.
Some players are angry, per IGN, citing unfulfilled past promises of annual expansions for Diablo 4. Only two expansions, Vessel of Hatred and Lord of Hatred, were released. Comments from the Diablo 4 subreddit show fans questioning the value of buying battle passes or cosmetics, knowing a sequel is coming.
GameSpot reports that the shift to a new game is because Diablo 5's story was too big to be a Diablo 4 expansion. Diablo 4 game director Brent Gibson told PC Gamer the team feels it concluded the "Story of Hatred" and is now moving towards telling the "Story of Terror" with Diablo 5.
Despite the backlash, Blizzard executives insist both games will be supported. Production director Tiffany Wat told IGN there are dedicated teams for each Diablo title that collaborate closely. The question remains whether seasonal content and a new class will sustain player interest for the next three years.
