Blizzard Entertainment officially announced "Diablo 5" for a 2029 release at BlizzCon 2026. However, the confirmation that "Diablo IV" will no longer receive new expansions has led some players to question whether it's still worth investing time and money into the current game. In response, Blizzard Entertainment emphasized that "Diablo IV" will continue to receive full support.
"Diablo IV" Game Director Brent Gibson stated that the team believes they have completed the "Hatred story" through "Vessel of Hatred" and its narrative focus on the Lord of Hatred, and will now shift towards the "Fear story" for "Diablo 5." He also confirmed that "Diablo IV" will primarily receive seasonal updates going forward, with no new major expansions planned.
The news sparked disappointment among many players, partly because former franchise lead Rod Fergusson had discussed the idea of "annual expansions" in 2023. One player on Reddit questioned, "Why kill this game? I thought 'Vessel of Hatred' was well-received?" Another angrily criticized, "Who would even want to keep buying battle passes or cosmetics in 'Diablo IV' then?"
However, other players argued that a sequel releasing six years after the original game's launch isn't unusual. Some even sarcastically remarked, "I spent $100 on 'Diablo IV' and only got over 1000 hours of entertainment—Blizzard is truly awful!"
Regarding future plans, "Diablo 5" Game Director Joe Shely emphasized that "Diablo IV" still has clear support, and the team remains fully committed. He noted that in addition to the "Season of Hell's Legacy" and a Switch 2 version, the Amazon class will also join the game in the first half of 2027.
Blizzard Production Director Tiffany Wat also stressed that the company assigns independent teams to different "Diablo" titles, yet they continue to collaborate closely. Whether seasonal content and new classes alone can keep players engaged until "Diablo 5" launches will remain a critical challenge for Blizzard over the next three years.
via： PC Gamer