BlizzCon 2021 isn't too far away and Diablo 4 is one of the major titles people are hungry for information about.
It has been over eight years since Diablo 3 was released by Blizzard and everyone's asking the same sorts of questions about the sequel.
We're here to help collate all of those questions and their answers into one helpful article!
Below, we have everything you need to know about Diablo 4 ahead of BlizzCon 2021.
We are expecting a "chunky" update, according to Game Director Luis Barriga, so this should be fun.
LATEST - New Rogue Class Revealed in Epic Trailer
The rogue class is coming in Diablo 4!
This announcement was made at BlizzCon 2021 in an amazing new trailer that even features some Diablo 4 gameplay footage.
You can watch it in action below:
What Should Diablo Do Differently?
Diablo titles are all largely the same. Not that this isn't without good reason. Diablo 2 remains one of the greatest action-RPGs ever made and Diablo 3 is a solid continuation of the narrative Blizzard are crafting.
But, should Diablo 4 stick to the series' conventional features or... Push the boat out a little more?
We know that Diablo 4 is going to explore more detail in cinematics and cutscenes, however, should their exploration be more focused on gameplay elements rather than cosmetics?
Puzzle mechanics and stealth are two things that Diablo 4 could, and should, explore in more detail.
They are there, in some rudimentary sense, but Diablo is primarily a hack-and-slash isometric ARPG. Could the introduction of a more dedicated stealth-based gameplay system and deeper puzzle mechanics be beneficial to the title or is that too far from what the fans expect?
When Should We Expect News?
If you're anticipating Diablo 4 news soon, you're in luck. Blizzard's virtual convention, BlizzCon 2021, is taking place soon.
Blizzcon 2021 starts at 23:00 CET, 17:00 ET, 22:00 GMT, on February 19th, 2021.
Thanks to the Official BlizzCon Schedule, we also have an insight into what's in store during the event.
The event will begin with an hour-and-ten-minutes of Opening Ceremony on all channels before things really start kicking off.
The first segment on the Diablo Channel is where we expect to start seeing some major announcements. It is due to start at 18:10 ET, 23:10 GMT and is titled "Diablo: What's Next".
Proven Blizzard leaker Kaiser499 has also suggested that we will be getting some class-specific news and an area reveal for Diablo 4 during the presentations.
Release Date
When is Diablo 4 coming out? It's a question as old as... Okay, it's not that old, but people have been asking it for a while now.
Diablo 4 was announced almost two years ago at BlizzCon 2019 and since then details have been sparse.
READ MORE: BlizzCon 2021: Five Things We Want To See
Although we are hoping to see Diablo 4 get a 2021 release date, a date in 2022 seems much more likely.
New Approach To Cutscenes
One thing we do know about Diablo 4 is that it's going to feature a new approach to storytelling for the series.
Rather than just using character portraits, Blizzard is planning to allow players to see conversations first-hand in-game in a more traditional format.
READ MORE: When Does Diablo Immortal Come Out?
Some of the more important conversations will also feature special animations that differ from the standard array that will be used.
What's even more exciting is the fact that Blizzard is reportedly experimenting with real-time cutscenes to bring the most important narrative moments in Diablo 4 to life in a brand-new way!
Could we get a new look at how this would work at BlizzCon 2021? Almost definitely.
Expanding Diablo's Multiplayer
Although Diablo 4 isn't planning on being an MMO like Path of Exile, we do know that they are aiming to improve on the previously-established multiplayer systems that were introduced in Diablo 3.
The multiplayer in Diablo 4 aims to be seamless and on a never-before-seen scale. However, the development team are being cautious to not tarnish the feel of the game.
This means that you might not see them very often, or only during certain key events. We expect you will still be able to play through the game at a party, however.
Are we going to get more news about the multiplayer features coming to the next game amongst all the other Diablo 4 news? Hopefully.
This information will most likely be revealed during the Diablo Deep Dive presentations on February 20th. We are expecting the initial "What's Next" to primarily focus on major Diablo 4 announcements.
Everything Else We Know
On top of all this, we know that Diablo 4 will be an isometric ARPG that seemingly follows on from the events of Diablo 3.
It will feature the return of Lilith, Mephisto's daughter, and a non-linear campaign with at least five classes at launch.
What's more, the world map is reportedly going to be much more open-world than previous Diablo titles.
Blizzard is undoubtedly going to make the most of the technological advancements in the last several years to make this Diablo the best one yet.
Check out the Official Diablo social channels for the latest updates ahead of BlizzCon 2021 and into the future.
For everything we know so far about Diablo 4, check out the official Diablo 4 website here for an animated run-down.
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