Diablo 4 Reportedly Headed For April 2023 Launch

After the disastrous announcement and poor public reception of "Diablo: Immortal," "Diablo" fans may see the release of the next mainline installment of the classic franchise as early as April 2023, according to The XboxEra Podcast. Based on details revealed in the podcast, Blizzard is reportedly set to release "Diablo 4," as well as a flashy, new launch trailer during a big marketing push at the 2022 Game Awards, which starts December 8, 2022. While pricing is unclear, preorders may be only weeks away.

"Diablo 4" goes back to the series' roots as a dark fantasy RPG, shirking the overly cartoonish graphics of its predecessor, "Diablo 3," in favor of a more realistic, gritty, gory aesthetic. "Diablo 4" drops players into the massive open world of Sanctuary, after Lilith, the creator of sanctuary and daughter of evil, has returned to spread chaos. If the gameplay showcase trailer is anything to go by, the game will appeal to hardcore fans of the ARPG genre, and will not be for the faint of heart. The trailer also mentions that there is a wealth of character customization options, several diverse classes to choose from, and a world where your choices and actions have consequences in the long run.

Preorders are allegedly slated to go live in December and may start shipping as early as April 2023 — as long as the game doesn't get delayed, as is happening more and more frequently in the gaming industry. What's more, hosts of The XboxEra Podcast indicate that "Diablo 4" will also have an open beta starting in February 2023, perhaps giving eager players a chance to get in on the action early. Those hungry for details need only look to development updates, revealing character classes and giving players a peak at behind-the-scenes art and features here and there, with old-school "Diablo" fans being particularly excited about the return of the Necromancer class.

There's no official word on pricing yet — it's probably safe to expect details at The Game Awards 2022 — but previous quarterly updates from Blizzard state that this will be a full-price game, indicating it will sell for around $50 to $70, typical for a AAA game. According to Blizzard, the game will release on PlayStation 4 and PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Until the official release, we'll just have to hope that the work Blizzard puts into "Diablo 4's" gameplay isn't crushed by microtransactions or poor decision-making.