Diablo IV

The core formula for the series' gameplay revolves around gradually obtaining stronger equipment by defeating increasingly difficult enemies. Enemies are fought using different character class skills which can be customized by equipment and talent trees. This concept is used to progress through the story and quests. Enemies are split into monster families which are defined by a theme, combat style, and their location.

Each family contains different archetypes that hold different roles allowing for synergies of specialty abilities between family members. To differentiate between them, they have unique silhouettes, stances and weapons.

Set in the Diablo series' world of Sanctuary, Diablo IV takes place 50 years after the events of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls. Cultists have summoned the main antagonist and daughter of Mephisto, Lilith (Caroline Faber). After the events of previous games, the forces of demons and angels have been depleted, allowing an opening for her to establish power in Sanctuary.

Thousands of years before the game's events, Lilith and the angel Inarius (Gabe Kunda) created the realm of Sanctuary to provide refuge for those who wished to escape the eternal conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells. This demon-angel relationship led to the birth of the Nephalem, a race that the protagonist falls under; neither Angel nor Demon, but a distinct combination of both. Those in Sanctuary believed that this power would bring attention to their shelter and, as a result, the inhabitants spoke of destroying them. Lilith, not wanting her children to be killed, destroyed any that opposed her, causing Inarius to banish her to the void.

After the 2014 release of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, Josh Mosqueira conceptualized Diablo IV under the code name Hades, brainstorming that the game would have over-the-shoulder combat similar to the Batman: Arkham series, permadeath, and multiplayer. Upon the July 2016 departure of Mosqueira from Blizzard, this first iteration of the game was cancelled, restarting development.

Diablo IV was announced on November 1, 2019, at BlizzCon 2019, and was planned to be released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Development of the PC and console builds happened simultaneously. Diablo IV's game director was Luis Barriga, who worked on Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, and World of Warcraft: Legion. Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Ybarra stated that Diablo IV took more than 6 years to develop.

Diablo IV received "generally favorable" reviews for the Windows and PlayStation 5 versions, and "universal acclaim" for the Xbox Series X version, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Windows Central called Diablo IV "Blizzard's magnum opus" and "Blizzard's most important, pivotal game since World of Warcraft, exceeding all expectations." The game was praised for its atmosphere, storytelling, visuals, level design, and overall improvements to the gameplay over its predecessor. Travis Northup of IGN called it "a spectacular sequel".

He commended the gameplay, improvements made over Diablo III, and the uniqueness and customization options of the character classes, but criticized the repetition in the game's opening act, and some technical issues. PCGamesN praised the visuals and aesthetic, writing "It's creepy, yet somehow beautiful". While liking the endgame, Ars Technica felt the skill trees presented fewer options for upgrades than in Diablo III.