Blizzard was off to a good start when it announced Diablo IV with a stunning cinematic trailer and playable build at this year’s BlizzCon event, but as the panels rolled on, more and more bad information began trickling out. Something that seems to bother fans in particular is the game’s online-only nature, which should come to no surprise to those who invested in Diablo III (the console versions do get local co-op, however).
Director Luis Barriga also admitted that Diablo IV isn’t anywhere close to complete: “We are not coming out soon. Not even ‘Blizzard soon’.” Keep in mind that Diablo III was announced in 2008 but didn’t come out until 2012. That means the fourth chapter may not launch until 2023.
“A game of this scope takes time,” explains game director Luis Barriga. “We’re not coming out soon – not even Blizzard soon.” Barriga describes the current build as a “first early step in the journey,” and reiterates that Diablo IV is still early in development – so it look like it’ll be a while before Blizzard shows it again, let alone announces a release date.