Update on the future of diablo franchise

[Triggered Fridgekin]

Point is, the game has no more a development team on it, and themes are just crappy flavor stuff that's for the most part useless. Even if they realized it it's been too late and nothing can resurrect D3. Remaking it from ground up could just be resources better spent on a new better game.

Pretty much yeah which is why I REALLY hope they take notes on why PoE is as successful it is and implement it in a potential D4 from the ground up.

[Coldkil]

Pretty much yeah which is why I REALLY hope they take notes on why PoE is as successful it is and implement it in a potential D4 from the ground up.

I think the real good thing PoE managed to achieve is to keep the game relevant and interesting at any level of gameplay. I'm not talking about leagues with different mechanics - i'm talking about the complete absence, or better, irrelevance of the meta. Yes, meta exists and you can do high level content efficently with a limited set of builds, but in fact all decent builds can achieve everything in game and the only thing that changes is clear time.

You can literally play as you want. Content structure rewards people striving for the best setup but also require effort and dedication, while providing a way for everyone to experience everything. Only thing that doesn't work is economy - after years in non-league prices are all over the place and new players simply cannot buy much while new leagues reset it for a short time before becoming the same. Solo play should be supported better but i agree fully with their decision to not cater towards SSF since the game structure is set in stone and changing it would only be detrimental.

[Unholyground]

I want a Diablo game that goes back to when the prime evils roamed Sanctuary before they were put into the soul stones.

[lollerlaban]

They should just remake D2 in the Diablo 3 engine/skin.
It wouldn't exactly be free money since it would still require a lot of work, but they would save massive amounts on the design phase for both art, gameplay and mechanics.

They really shouldn't. The irony of the D3 engine is that it's not suited for a D3'ish game. They had to do so many performance hacks and fixes over the years due to things such as Area of effect and AoE effects in general.

[infinitemeridian]

It's just going to be diablo 3 with a fresh coat of paint, i.e. Diablo 4.

[ro9ue]

I agree with people that imagine a Witcher-style game. Diablo could make very good use of a graphic/pov restyle, however while keeping it grimdark just remeber that Blizzard simply won't make a "realistic graphics" type of game; they tend to go the "cartoonish" route for multiple reasons - one being able to make it run on toasters so they can get to way more people.

I don't know if you play Overwatch at all, but I feel like they did a good job on the Diablo part of Blizzard World / Junkensteins Revenge as far as atmospherics and style go. The characters just won't be as silly.

[Smokinya]

Next game should just be called Diablo in my opinion. Reboot the franchise like Doom. Make it a PoE/Lost Ark styled game and just keep on bringing huge content updates to players. Could easily rival PoE.

[Hyral]

TownPortal: Heroes of Sanctuary

[The Stormbringer]

TownPortal: Heroes of Sanctuary

I'd play it.

[lollerlaban]

Give. Me. This.

I don't think it will be an ARPG -- sales weren't where they were supposed to be with the expansion and the Necromancer. I also don't think it will be an RTS since the genre has been in decline the last couple of years. Unless either of these is intended for mobile.

You wut? Reaper of souls sold 2.7 million copies in the the first WEEK. Combined they sold 30 million units when they hit 2015

[Elite Peon]

Diablo 4 is out of the question because if they wanted to make big changes they could just do it on diablo 3, considering its so unpopular no one would mind big changes.

Releasing a brand new game is a lot of work and costs compared to upgrading an existing and still modern title like diablo3.

At the same time hacknslash is a dying genre and blizz wont burn millions trying to make a sequel to a still modern and functioanl game as d3.

Our best bet is a hd remake of diablo 2 with improved user interface, bugfixes, balance and anti cheat.

Uhh no ...The best bet is Diablo 4 because diablo makes all its money off of box sales and diablo 3 like it or not made Blizzard like 800 million dollars just with box sales so if you think they are putting together a huge team to do a Diablo 2 remake that only hardcore nostalgia nerds will buy as a DLC you are high ...its Diablo 4 or a Diablo MMO no way blizzard is letting a billion dollar franchise turn to dust on a shelf

[Jdance]

It's not Diablo 4 lol. It's not even an arpg

[Mojo03]

I bet it's a mobile Diablo game. 100% makes sense.

People are gonna be so underwhelmed.

[Clash the DK]

I believe it to be one of two things:

Single Player RPG - This is one type of game that Blizzard does not offer. They like to have a finger in every pie, so this is a strong possibility. But Blizz likes to go big. So...

New MMORPG - WoW is winding down whether anybody wants to admit it or not. The lore and possible exploration points have almost been exhausted. They need a new cash cow for the future. Diablo is the logical successor. Taking everything they know about the MMORPG genre and creating a new experience from the ground up is a very appealing scenario.


- New world to explore (WoW style 3rd person gameplay)
- New engine (Modern graphics but with traditional Blizz art style)
- New take on classes (No longer bound by old traditions and expectations of WoW)
- Possibly retiring the Trinity? (More self reliance on personal survival and success)
- All content made for solo or small groups? (1-5 players)
- Designed around cooperative gameplay without the problems of balancing around PvP (No more Blue vs Red)

[Scrysis]

You wut? Reaper of souls sold 2.7 million copies in the the first WEEK. Combined they sold 30 million units when they hit 2015

Not the numbers they wanted or expected. We would have seen another xpac before this if it were the case. Also, the necromancer sales numbers are probably a better indicator of interest at this point.

[Coldkil]

I don't know if you play Overwatch at all, but I feel like they did a good job on the Diablo part of Blizzard World / Junkensteins Revenge as far as atmospherics and style go. The characters just won't be as silly.

Yeah, fully agree. What i meant is that they usually aim to less demanding graphics so more people with less-than-optimal game systems will be able to play; this usually translates into a more "cartoonish" style because is less demanding in terms of model details.

I actually dig D3 atmosphere. Imho a lot of the D2 grimdark and gritty feeling came from the dated engines that didn't even had ways to render certain details. Then there's a lot of design behind.

[Mojo03]

I believe it to be one of two things:

Single Player RPG - This is one type of game that Blizzard does not offer. They like to have a finger in every pie, so this is a strong possibility. But Blizz likes to go big. So...

New MMORPG - WoW is winding down whether anybody wants to admit it or not. The lore and possible exploration points have almost been exhausted. They need a new cash cow for the future. Diablo is the logical successor. Taking everything they know about the MMORPG genre and creating a new experience from the ground up is a very appealing scenario.


- New world to explore (WoW style 3rd person gameplay)
- New engine (Modern graphics but with traditional Blizz art style)
- New take on classes (No longer bound by old traditions and expectations of WoW)
- Possibly retiring the Trinity? (More self reliance on personal survival and success)
- All content made for solo or small groups? (1-5 players)
- Designed around cooperative gameplay without the problems of balancing around PvP (No more Blue vs Red)

Mobile Diablo.

[Deleted]

D4 is most likely coming but I don't think anytime soon, I think there might be another D3 Expansion inc, and hopefully more changes to all systems in D3.

[tikcol]

I'll shove everything up my dirty little anus as long as it isn't a fucking mobile game.

[Coldkil]

Mobile Diablo.

May be - but it will be a side project. I can see something you play mainly on pc/console but can manage stuff via phone while not at your rig. They should do something on the line.