What you need to know
- Blizzard Entertainment shared a new story overview video, explaining how the setting and timeline of the game relates to the prior adventure, Diablo 3.
- According to game director Joe Shely, Diablo 4 is "the darkest story we've ever told."
- Diablo 4 is slated to launch on June 6, with early access beginning on June 2, 2023 for anyone that preorders a special version of the game.
The stories of demons and angels in the Diablo universe have never been lighthearted, but things are looking bleaker than ever in Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming action role-playing game.
In a video going over the story and setting of Diablo 4, developers at Blizzard Entertainment talked about different aspects of the game, with game director Joe Shely noting that it's "the darkest story we've ever told."
The video also provides an overview of some of the main characters for anyone that isn't up-to-date on Diablo lore. In addition to Lilith and Inarius, the demon and angel who worked together to create Sanctuary, there's also Lorath Nahr, a returning character from Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls.
Diablo 4 is set 50 years after the events of Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls, and with the death of half the human population, survivors are struggling everywhere across the war-ravaged world.
"With Diablo 4, you're very much watching a tragedy unfold," says Eden Trujilo, associate writer at Blizzard Entertainment. "It's definitely a story that we wanted to create around people, not just the apocalyptic elements that surround the story."
Windows Central's take
If the story that was included in the beta was any indication, Diablo 4 should easily have the most compelling narrative of the series so far. I'm extremely excited about how it's shaping up and can't wait to dive back in when the game arrives. If you're a beginner who wants to learn more about this world, I highly recommend reading through this comprehensive Diablo lore summary my coworker Jennifer Young put together.
