Diablo has a history of being a slow-burning franchise, considering the mere five games released over a span of three decades. Interestingly, the landscape seems to be shifting for the infamous gaming series.
During a discussion Gavian Whishaw, the executive producer and VP of Diablo 4, hinted at Blizzard’s intention to pick up the pace and roll out more than a mere handful of Diablo games over the forthcoming thirty years. Despite tactfully avoiding direct confirmation of a new Diablo installment being announced at BlizzCon 2026 in September, Whishaw took the opportunity to shed light on their long-term vision for the beloved franchise.
Addressing the trajectory of a franchise that holds two-decades worth of player loyalty and ongoing gameplay, he shared, ‘It’s somewhat complex when considering franchises that have endured for twenty years and still hold dedicated players eagerly anticipating new content. As it stands, over three decades of Diablo, we’ve created five titles. Therefore, it’s our hope that in the coming 30 years we accomplish a tad more than that, perhaps even at a faster pace.’
Following a recent 30th Anniversary spotlight presentation for Diablo, revelations of a new class for Diablo 2, Diablo 4, and Diablo Immortal were also made, along with further details of Diablo 4’s impending second expansion, entitled Lord of Hatred.
In another discussion with Johanna Faries, Blizzard President, she shared hints about a ‘behind the scenes’ reveal scheduled for the BlizzCon event. She also mentioned Blizzard’s plan to delve even further into their popular franchises like Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo, expanding them beyond the realm of gaming alone. There seems to be ongoing ‘near-term discussions’ about each franchise, with the intention to introduce Blizzard’s immersive worlds ‘to new audiences in a high caliber way.’
Faries included, ‘Our goal is to draw in new fans, those who may not have been with us over the past few decades. An engaging strategy to achieve this is through extended interaction with Hollywood, or through film and TV collaborations, which we predict will be a key part of our approach.’
The Diablo 4’s Lord of Hatred expansion is scheduled for release on April 28th. This awaited installment promises a total revamp of the existing game’s skills trees through the introduction of new choices and the removal of passive skills. With regards to upcoming BlizzCon announcements, Blizzard is generating excitement with teases of major news across their game franchises, including possible news of a StarCraft shooter announcement.
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