Diablo
News, coverage and analysis tracking Diablo across the outlets.
13 years after raising $1 million on Kickstarter, dev of infamous JRPG breaks silence to say work will continue through…After 13 years and $1 million raised on Kickstarter, the developer of the JRPG Project Phoenix has broken their silence to explain the prolonged development. Game director Hiroaki Yura apologized for the lack of updates, citing personal issues and the departure of a key programmer as reasons for the delays. He stated that the project is still alive and being funded by other studios he has built, with a new Discord server planned for more frequent communication.
Former Xbox boss Don Mattrick once reportedly suggested Halo 4 should have a real-money auction house like Diablo 3 infamously didFormer Xbox boss Don Mattrick reportedly suggested that Halo 4 should feature a real-money auction house for in-game items, similar to Diablo 3's controversial experiment. This idea was met with internal disbelief by the development team, who recognized the potential negative impact on the game's reputation and completion status. Halo 4 ultimately launched without such a feature, and Mattrick departed Microsoft in 2013.
Blizzard devs in the dark for now as president of the World of Warcraft and Diablo studio says they "can expect to hear more" soon about Microsoft's plan for the studio as Xbox faces 3,200 job cutsAmid significant layoffs impacting approximately 3,200 positions at Xbox, Blizzard Entertainment president Johanna Faries has communicated to staff that more details regarding the studio's future under Microsoft will be shared soon. While Blizzard's major franchises like World of Warcraft and Diablo appear largely untouched for now, the company is bracing for potential restructuring and changes in the coming months.
Games Inbox: Is the Xbox doomed to failure?Readers express concerns about the future of Xbox, citing recent studio closures and a reliance on aging franchises like Halo and Gears of War. The discussion also touches on the shift towards digital-only games, the impact on game preservation, and the potential for companies like Sony to influence Kickstarter campaigns.
"Game execs remain stupid detached money grubbing idiots": Former Xbox boss wanted Halo 4 to copy Diablo 3's horrible real-money auction house, dev saysA former Xbox executive, Don Mattrick, suggested that Halo 4 should implement a real-money auction house for in-game items, similar to Diablo 3's controversial feature. This suggestion was recalled by a recently laid-off Halo designer, Dan Callan, who criticized the detachment of executives from game development realities and the negative impact of such monetization strategies.
Are these the 100 most influential games of all time?Kitfox Games CEO Tanya Short discusses a list of the 100 most influential video games of all time, compiled by professional game designers. The list, assembled through the Polaris game design retreat, aims to serve as a tool for designers to improve their craft and create influential games.
State of Decay studio Undead Labs potentially up for closure, sources claim, with Bethesda and Blizzard also facing layoffsMicrosoft is reportedly planning significant layoffs across its gaming division, potentially including the closure of Undead Labs, the studio behind State of Decay. Bethesda and Blizzard Entertainment are also expected to face substantial job cuts as part of a company-wide "reset." Union workers are negotiating with management to protect jobs or secure severance packages amid these widespread reductions.
Blizzard’s Unannounced StarCraft Title: The Hard FactsEvidence suggests Blizzard Entertainment is developing a new AAA open-world shooter set in the StarCraft universe, moving away from its Real-Time Strategy roots. The project is built on Unreal Engine and led by former Far Cry executive producer Dan Hay, indicating a significant shift in franchise direction and development strategy.- Diablo III’s 39th season, Shades of the Nephalem, is slated to launch tonightBlizzard Entertainment announced that Diablo III's 39th season, Shades of the Nephalem, will launch tonight at 8 p.m. EDT. The season introduces the 'Shadows of the Past' feature, where activating Shrines or Pylons spawns a shadow clone of the player's class with a predetermined build. New cosmetics, including a pet named Belphegor, and a rotation of Conquests and class sets are also included.
- DENMU ANNOUNCES $50 MILLION FUND DEDICATED TO VISIONARY GAME MAKERSDENMU, a new video game investment house, has announced its initial $50 million fund dedicated to supporting visionary game makers across various platforms and genres. The company emphasizes an 'auteur-first' approach, aiming to bridge Eastern and Western markets and provide flexible capital for AAA, AA, indie, and mobile projects. Founded by Michael Fan and Ryan You, DENMU's team includes industry veterans from companies like Blizzard North and Top Hat Studios.
Diablo 4 finally adds a mode it should have had on day one, but all I can think about is skinny RoadhogDiablo 4's Season of Death Awakening (Season 14) introduces significant endgame updates including proper leaderboards and the long-awaited Solo Self-Found mode. The season also features new 'Ruptures' mechanic, a free Warlock class trial, and an Overwatch collaboration, though the latter has drawn mixed reactions. The expansion, Lord of Hatred, has been praised for improving the game's structure and story.
Diablo 4: Lord Of Hatred Has Been Rated For Switch 2 In TaiwanA rating for Diablo 4's 'Lord of Hatred' expansion has appeared on Taiwan's rating board, suggesting a potential release on the unreleased 'Switch 2' console. This follows a similar rating that surfaced in Indonesia earlier this year. Blizzard Entertainment has not officially confirmed any Switch versions of Diablo 4.- Diablo 4: Lord Of Hatred For Switch 2 Has Been Rated In TaiwanThe expansion Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred has received a rating in Taiwan for the upcoming Switch 2 console, following a similar rating for Nintendo Switch discovered in April. This expansion, which was released on other platforms in April 2026, introduces new classes and gameplay features. While this rating suggests a potential release, Blizzard Entertainment has not officially confirmed the Switch 2 version.
- Warlock ‘n’ load: First impressions of Diablo Immortal’s 5.0, Lut Gholein, and the new WarlockThis preview covers Diablo Immortal's 5.0 update, introducing the new Warlock class and the Lut Gholein combat zone. While the Warlock is considered the least favorite iteration compared to Diablo II and Diablo IV, the update offers a welcome addition of content for the mobile Action RPG. The Lut Gholein zone faithfully recreates the Diablo II location and provides good loot, making it a potential grind spot for players.
- Everything Announced For Dead by Daylight During Its 10th Anniversary StreamBehaviour Interactive celebrated Dead by Daylight's 10th anniversary by announcing numerous updates, including new killers like Jason Voorhees, Art the Clown, and Frank Stone, and a new survivor, Shane Wiigwaas. The game will also receive a new mall map, various cosmetic crossovers with franchises like The Walking Dead and Silent Hill, and future additions like modding tools and new game modes. The studio also confirmed that a Dead by Daylight movie is in development with director Thordur Palsson.
Microsoft's Xbox games keep ending up as flops according to new reportA new report indicates that several Xbox games, including Avowed, Hellblade 2, and Forza Motorsport, have significantly underperformed Microsoft's sales and engagement expectations. This comes amid reports of expected layoffs and studio closures at Xbox, with CEO Asha Sharma acknowledging the company has 'over extended' its resources and needs to reassess investment priorities.
You can win tickets to Diablo's Infernal Symphony, celebrating 30 years of Blizzard's ARPGBlizzard Entertainment is celebrating 30 years of Diablo with a special concert event, 'Diablo: The Infernal Symphony,' in London. The event will feature music from across the entire Diablo franchise. This article announces a giveaway for two tickets to the concert, with the giveaway open to UK residents aged seven and older.
In a sea of videogame movie adaptations, 28% of you are sick and tired of 'em and 24% of you are PC Gamer as hellA PC Gamer poll reveals that 28% of readers are tired of video game movie adaptations, with Deus Ex being the most requested game for a future film. Other popular choices included Diablo and Baldur's Gate 3, while some readers expressed a desire for entirely different game adaptations.- 25 '90s Games That Hold Up Perfectly Today (And Where to Play Them) | TAGThis article identifies 25 video games from the 1990s that remain enjoyable for modern players, distinguishing between titles that hold up with no caveats and those that require specific versions or adjustments. It highlights how 2D pixel art generally ages better than early 3D graphics and provides information on where each game can be legally played today.
Diablo creators worried "RPGs were so overwrought with statistics that the genre had shrunk to a tiny audience," so they wanted it to be like "how we'd played Dungeons & Dragons as kids"Max Schaefer, co-founder of Condor (later Blizzard North), discussed the early design philosophy of Diablo, aiming to simplify RPGs by focusing on core mechanics like hitting monsters and gaining loot, inspired by childhood Dungeons & Dragons experiences. This approach was intended to counter the overly complex statistics and penalties found in many contemporary RPGs, making the genre more accessible and rewarding for players.