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[CyberPanda]

It’s looking pretty certain now that at least one of those “multiple Diablo projects” mentioned by developer Blizzard last year is on the way. Following recent reports that devs were being moved off a Starcraft FPS to work on Diablo 4, the studio has now put up two new job adverts for a Diablo title – a lead character artist and a lead concept artist. Excitingly, it also seems that the game already exists, at least in part – Diablo 4 has been shown to Blizzard employees.

The job adverts state that the studio is working on a “new, unannounced Diablo project”, emphasising that knowledge of the series universe is key. Given that these roles would probably be important in a title’s development from the get-go the adverts could suggest that the project is not very far along yet. However, it would seem from another source that this isn’t the case.

According to French publication Le Monde (via user Damien at forum IcyVeins, as the full article is subscriber-only), employees at Blizzard in Paris have been shown Diablo 4 in a presentation. The article says (translated via Google) “the Blizzard Entertainment teams have already had the right to a presentation of the highly anticipated Diablo 4 and know that a new Overwatch is in the pipes. But none will come out before 2020, at best”.


It seems then that Blizzard’s next big Diablo title is already in some kind of a ready enough state to have been shown to employees, even if this is just a vertical slice of what’s to come. Whether the two job adverts link to this same Diablo 4 or another unannounced project is not confirmed. It’s certainly possible that the lead character and concept artists could be brought on further into the title’s development, so all signs seem to point to Diablo 4 being well underway. Hopefully we’ll get to see a reveal of Diablo 4 at this year’s BlizzCon.

Read more: Check out the best upcoming games on PC

Whatever the end result will be, and whether we’ll get to see a Diablo 4 showcased later this year, we’ll just have to wait and see. Hopefully whatever might arrive will receive a better reception from the series’ fans than mobile spin-off Diablo Immortal did when revealed at the last BlizzCon.

Diablo 4 has reportedly already been shown to Blizzard employees

It doesn't sound like the game will come out before 2020, though.

www.pcgamesn.com

 

[killatopak]

Straight into to my veins.

 

[LazyParrot]

Well, duh. Aren't they the ones working on it?

 

[Fake]

Hope more like Diablo 2 and not like Diablo 3.

 

[shark sandwich]

Hope the previous rumors are true, that it’s going to be a lot uglier than 3 and have some MMO elements. Also praying that they don’t ruin it with some stupid monetization scheme.

 

[The_Mike]

Diablo I and II are amongst my favorite rpgs of all time, but after Diablo III and the dumbed down rpg elements in WoW I really have no faith at all in Blizzard.

 

[Codes 208]

If the backlash regarding Immortal last year wasnt the wake up call they needed, i dont know what is.

 

[Bolivar687]

We have Path of Exile, I'm good.

 

[Fuz]

Smells like damage control.

 

[newtypepilot]

The job adverts state that the studio is working on a 「new, unannounced Diablo project」, emphasising that knowledge of the series universe is key.

Just hire red shirt guy

 

[SpiceRacz]

People are gonna call BS (I don't give a fuck), but my friend has already seen the game. I was told it was in development nearly 2 years ago.

 

[FrostyJ93]

One of the first 120 FPS games on next gen consoles I bet.

 

[Newly Vacant]

I wonder what kind of game Diablo 4 is going to end up being. Blizzard has two fan-bases for Diablo at this point. They’ve got the hardcore pre-Diablo 3 fans, and the post-Diablo 3 fans. I don’t know which group is bigger, or has more influence.

 

[Riven326]

I hope it's a mobile game.

 

[Threeshotgamer]

Path of Exile just keeps getting better and better so will be fascinating to see what blizzard is putting up to compete.

 

[NeededSleep]

They are going to need to show more than a trailer to get fans back in good graces after that blizzcon diablo mobile shit show.

Red shirt guy needs to host the reavel trailer when its ready.

 

[Kenpachii]

PR talk to indicate the company's isn't death meat.

They really had nothing when they talked about it. Now they probably got a tech demo. Also probably there entire company is busy with it. vanilla can't take more then 2 people to make it happen so yea.

 

[pqueue]

Well, duh. Aren't they the ones working on it?

And... thread.

 

[Spukc]

Shut the fuck up and give me the game blizz

 

[Malio]

Did they show it on Android or iOS?

 

[jakinov]

Well, duh. Aren't they the ones working on it?

And... thread.

Blizzard has thousands of employees. They are segregated in different teams/departments and geographically. Large companies usually keep things secret between departments/teams especially if it's not supposed to be known by the public. The people in the HR department don't need to know what the people on the Diablo team are working on or the people on the World of Warcraft team don't need to know what the team on the Diablo team are working on. You'll hear reports once in a while of Google or Microsoft showing off stuff off internally because for example the Bing team doesn't really need to know the secret hardware project the devices team might be working on

 

[isual]

straight into the...wait bin.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

So Diablo 4 will come out around 2025 when PS6 and Scarlett 2 come out? Sounds about right.

 

[turntablekeepsonspinning]

Blizzard has thousands of employees. They are segregated in different teams/departments and geographically. Large companies usually keep things secret between departments/teams especially if it's not supposed to be known by the public. The people in the HR department don't need to know what the people on the Diablo team are working on or the people on the World of Warcraft team don't need to know what the team on the Diablo team are working on. You'll hear reports once in a while of Google or Microsoft showing off stuff off internally because for example the Bing team doesn't really need to know the secret hardware project the devices team might be working on

But there always needs to be at least one tranny that knows nothing about game development on the team.

 

[renzolama]

Blizzard has thousands of employees. They are segregated in different teams/departments and geographically. Large companies usually keep things secret between departments/teams especially if it's not supposed to be known by the public. The people in the HR department don't need to know what the people on the Diablo team are working on or the people on the World of Warcraft team don't need to know what the team on the Diablo team are working on. You'll hear reports once in a while of Google or Microsoft showing off stuff off internally because for example the Bing team doesn't really need to know the secret hardware project the devices team might be working on

All of this is true, but doesn't change the fact that the headline is so badly written that it's hard to believe English is the authors native language

 

[The_Mike]

One of the first 120 FPS games on next gen consoles I bet.

What do you base this on?
Or was it just ironic?

 

[Ar¢tos]

Is it gonna be iOS only or Android also?

 

[DavidGzz]

Into my veins, Blizzard. Please give us old guys the Diablo we deserve. d1 and 2 robbed me of my teen years and helped me retain my virginity into adulthood.