Blizzard Entertainment‘s Diablo 4 is reportedly set to be released next April, according to new information.
The latest game in the series was originally announced back in 2019. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that it will arrive in 2023.
Now, new reports from the XboxEra podcast and Windows Central suggest that the game will arrive in April of next year, with pre-orders available from as early as December, and early access launching in February.
Blizzard Entertainment have yet to respond to any of the new reports.
Diablo 4 will be set in the Diablo series’ world of Sanctuary and its storyline will take place after the events of Diablo 3: Reaper Of Souls, which saw the Nephalem (a race said to be the “offspring of angel and demon” who take on the role of the game’s protagonist) defeat antagonist Malthael, freeing the Seven Evils and shattering the powerful Black Soulstone.
Earlier this year, Blizzard Entertainment revealed the final playable class that will be available in Diablo 4 in a new trailer. The video confirmed that, along with the Barbarian, the Sorceress, the Druid and the Rogue, players will be able to inhabit the role of the Necromancer, which also featured in Diablo 2 and Diablo 3.
Back in September, Blizzard Entertainment announced that it will “soon” be hosting a closed end-game beta for Diablo 4, which will invite some players to test post-campaign content ahead of the game’s 2023 launch.
Blizzard shared that it will be inviting players “who have spent significant time in Diablo end-game experiences” to test Diablo 4‘s activities available for those who have completed the campaign.
While those invited to the beta will be kept to secrecy with a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), Blizzard added that wider public testing is planned for “early next year.”
In a follow-up blog, Blizzard explained why it was hosting a beta specifically to test Diablo 4‘s end-game content.
“The full story of Lilith’s return to Sanctuary is not something we would like to spoil prior to release – players will experience a post-campaign Sanctuary during the closed end game beta,” shared Blizzard. “Also, for many, the end game is their favourite aspect of Diablo -we want to ensure it feels satisfying, and with no shortage of challenging variety to experience across many, many demon-slaying gaming sessions.”
Test footage from the game also appeared to be leaked online back in September, with PC Gamer reporting that the footage was heavily watermarked, while objects like bridges and buildings within the game world appeared untextured, suggesting that the footage had come from a test build of Diablo 4.
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