It’s going to be a while before Diablo IV is in the hands of players, but the team is certainly keeping at work even with the transition to working from home. And now there’s even a full update on how development has been going, because the most recent landmark was a full team playtest together of a single region. That gives an opportunity to go over the broader strokes of systems like how areas balance their splits between main content and side content.
One of the features that’s coming together nicely on the open world, for example, are settlements that players can free for friendly NPCs by slaughtering the demons occupying them. These areas are not flagged as quest objectives, however; the storytelling is meant to be environmental, with things like a powerful undead sorcerer jumping between skeletons or villagers transformed by a demon’s curse. The team is also looking at item progression and ensuring that affixes and item stats remain interesting wherever you go. Check out the full dispatch from the team for those curious about the state of development.
Meanwhile, the rumors of a Diablo II remaster coming later this month have been officially debunked by Blizzard on Reddit. That doesn’t mean a remaster isn’t coming or planned, but if it is… well, it’s not happening this month or being announced this month.
