Blizzard is already working on two expansions for Diablo IV

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,294   +192
Staff member
Bottom line: Linear development simply isn't going to work for a game like Diablo IV. Live games must be approached with a parallel development strategy in mind, and communication between teams is key. Compartmentalization will get you nowhere fast.

Diablo IV has finally reached general availability following a brief early access period for pre-order buyers, and it seems it was worth the wait. Windows Central described it as potentially Blizzard's best game ever. Tech Radar said it sets a new standard for isometric, open-world adventures. The sites, along with several others, have given the game a perfect score.

It feels premature to talk about what is next for Diablo IV considering it has been out for exactly one day, but not for Blizzard. In a recent interview with Kinda Funny Games, Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson touched on this subject and more.

When making a game like Diablo IV, Fergusson noted, it has to be done sustainably. In short, you can't push the team in a way that when launch day arrives, everyone falls over exhausted. Games these days constantly want more, so you have to cater to that because in a way, you are always shipping.

"As I sit here, we're about to launch the main game [the interview was conducted shortly before launch], we're finishing up season one, we're working on season two, we're working on expansion one, we're kicking off expansion two… and we haven't even launched the game yet," Fergusson said.

In related news, we are now getting an idea of what the microtransaction-based cosmetic shop has to offer now that the game is live. As Kotaku highlights, some special mounts are priced as high as $15 while some of the more expensive armor sets can command nearly $30.

Microtransactions have been an area of contention among gamers for years. Fortunately, Diablo IV and many other recent titles have moved away from pay to win mechanics and use microtransactions solely for cosmetic items like mounts or outfits.

Paid DLC and expansion packs are also a sore subject. Some believe developers intentionally cut content from their base game in order to create DLC or expansion packs and sell them for an added fee down the road.

Diablo IV is available now in standard, digital deluxe, and ultimate editions starting at $69.99.

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Maybe smne from Blizzard will read this.

I have got the Battle Net app running on my PC b/c I play WoW Classic.

For a few days Blizzard has been bombarding me with reminders and alerts and newsflash and news stories etc on the Launcher which I cannot disable about "diablo" although I have never played this game and I never will.

The spam has gotten so bad that everytime I try to open Battle Net app to play WoW I am getting hit with a huge "Diablo" poster.

I am sure they don't care but I find all this spam campaign distasteful as I am a Christian and I find all this spam and obsession with Satan disgusting.

Maybe Blizzard should tone down a bit the Satan promotion campaign as at least some of us who pay monthly subs are Christian and find Blizzard's obsession with Satan to be distasteful and offensive.

Will try to submit a battle.net ticket too regarding this issue.
 
Maybe smne from Blizzard will read this.

I have got the Battle Net app running on my PC b/c I play WoW Classic.

For a few days Blizzard has been bombarding me with reminders and alerts and newsflash and news stories etc on the Launcher which I cannot disable about "diablo" although I have never played this game and I never will.

The spam has gotten so bad that everytime I try to open Battle Net app to play WoW I am getting hit with a huge "Diablo" poster.

I am sure they don't care but I find all this spam campaign distasteful as I am a Christian and I find all this spam and obsession with Satan disgusting.

Maybe Blizzard should tone down a bit the Satan promotion campaign as at least some of us who pay monthly subs are Christian and find Blizzard's obsession with Satan to be distasteful and offensive.

Will try to submit a battle.net ticket too regarding this issue.
I'm Christian too and play D4. Not being a sinner is not possible. Can't get saved from sin itself, only from the penalty for it.
 
Maybe smne from Blizzard will read this.

I have got the Battle Net app running on my PC b/c I play WoW Classic.

For a few days Blizzard has been bombarding me with reminders and alerts and newsflash and news stories etc on the Launcher which I cannot disable about "diablo" although I have never played this game and I never will.

The spam has gotten so bad that everytime I try to open Battle Net app to play WoW I am getting hit with a huge "Diablo" poster.

I am sure they don't care but I find all this spam campaign distasteful as I am a Christian and I find all this spam and obsession with Satan disgusting.

Maybe Blizzard should tone down a bit the Satan promotion campaign as at least some of us who pay monthly subs are Christian and find Blizzard's obsession with Satan to be distasteful and offensive.

Will try to submit a battle.net ticket too regarding this issue.

dude, I was eating... I laughed so hard you almost killed me
 
I was initially skeptic after playing the demo, it felt like a gloomier D3, but I gotta admit I was wrong. I played it all day today, it`s pretty addictive. Also, it`s ... different than the classic formula, better, but still retains the old D2 charm. Thank God, they got rid of the pestilence of microtransactions. Pay to win it`s great for some quick cash grab, but you destroy the francize in the long term, I`m glad they finally see that. Also, I had no problems with login, crashes, bugs, queue time, everything went so smoothly, I was surprised. But back on topic, DLCs always costed extra. Whether they`re worth the asking price is another thing. For now, I`m pleasantly surprised, Blizzard is going to milk this 10 years at least.
 
Maybe Blizzard should tone down a bit the Satan promotion campaign as at least some of us who pay monthly subs are Christian and find Blizzard's obsession with Satan to be distasteful and offensive.
lol simply deal with it
they are allowed to advertise their own game as much as they like
if religion is really your point of argument, u deserve it
 
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