This weekend its Blizzcon, the gathering for all thing World of Warcraft, Overwatch and Blizzard Entertainment.  And to the surprise of no one but the relief of many, they finally announced Diablo 4, the sequel to the immensely popular hack and loot fantasy game. A gameplay trailer and a 9 minute long animatic were shown.

The release date is “not soon” though, so looks like we’ll be plowing through Westmarch for a few years more.

The Beat herself is a rather avid Diablo 3 player, so this news is huge for our spare time. And the new game will be an amalgam of all that made the first three Diablos popular:

Game director Luis Barriga took the stage this weekend, and noted that this time around, Sanctuary will be front and center. You’ll find other players out in the world in friendly towns, but you’ll also be able to enter PVP zones. Blizzard wants to combine the sense of dread from Diablo 1, the loot chase from Diablo 2, and the combat from Diablo 3. Diablo 4 will release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One 

The big bad this time is named Lilith, yet another blow against the “demon” who just stood up for female equality, but this is video games we’re talking about.

The game takes place many years ago Diablo 3 – does this mean that we’ll never know what happened to Lyndon and his sister in law, or hear Covetous Shen ramble on again?

On the plus side,

DRUID DRUID DRUID!!!

The three announced classes for the game are sorceress, barbarian and druid, the beloved shapeshifter from Diablo 2 gone these long years.

diablo 4 character classes

 

Icy Veins has details of the announce panel, including mounts, less reliance on sets and a return to the rune system.

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Blizzard also announced Overwatch 2, but we’ll let someone who knows that game talk about it.

The gaming company also apologized for its most egregious recent missteps – and no we’re not talking last year’s disastrous Diablo Immortal mobile game announcement. Rather, executives tried to explain their decision to ban a gamer who was a Hong Kong protester, which led to protests outside of Blizzcon.

“We moved too quickly in our decision and then to make matters worse, we were too slow to talk with all of you,” said president J. Allen Brack at the kick-off event on Friday. “I am sorry and I accept accountability.”
The American company has come under fire after it banned a Hong Kong player named Ng for shoutingthe popular protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” during a livestreamed post-match interview. Blizzard said the actviolated its competition rules. Ng was initially stripped of his potential winnings and bannedfrom competing for the next year.

There’s more breaking news from Blizzcon as the weekend progresses – we’ll recap it as it goes.

 

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Druids represent and are part of Old England Britain. Used in the context of a discussion that referenced William Blake – which Alan Moore strikes a lot of parrallels with, if he just does not riff off of, acknowledged, or not. ‘Albion’ ‘Jerusalem’. It’s all there. Besides which, I called his writing other stuff quite decent. Dramatic effect and hyperbole for a reading experience of his Archaia work – which I found quite misygonistic, by the way. Again, my opinion, and not defamatory!!

  2. All off the top of my head, as per usual. Because I know Blake, and I prefer it to Moore’s version. I hope Moore lives a long and happy life, and, from what I’ve seen, he looks relaxed and happy. So, good for him. Miller, on the other hand, looks like he’s lead a heavy lie. Just, looks.

    I am not a Christian. I am not offended by mysticism, religiosity or its complete absence. All ways of living have common goods – even druid worshippers, i.e. term for shorthand representing Old England. My perspective, as ever, from what I know. (and I dislike Moore’s incessant fascination with Old England because I see it as a form of Nationalism. Empire, even, evoked in the British context. Old England, all wrapped up in Blakean greenery; representing the Light (industry; that represented the Darkness, in Blake). Clarified.

    Tell me again why I should only write optimistic things and Marvel movies.

  3. Block this one, if you want – How about I write for you. Your edit, first, so as to avoid something. I don’t know on what because, like I keep saying, I never intended to write for or on comics, really just wanted to talk to other commentors, discusd, etc..

    But, views on Marvel movies vs other aesthetic values at diametric odds.

    I am not anti-gay, and my mother is indeed a lesbian. Work it out. Work the way back.

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