“We’re here for the long haul.” Diablo manager confirms 10-year road map

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In a conversation with Gamefile, Rod Fergusson, the head of the Diablo series, shared an enticing sneak peek into the future of this game franchise. Although Blizzard has outlined a short-term strategy for Diablo 4, Fergusson disclosed that the team has been strategizing well ahead—with a comprehensive plan mapped out for the next ten years.

“We’re committed to staying around for the long run. Lately, we’ve been working on our long-term plans and I’ve designed a roadmap—a 10-year roadmap…it was even a 12-year [plan]—I can envision this, this, this and this and various other possibilities that we can pursue, which is truly motivating. It’s incredibly exciting. We’re focusing on what players desire…I can’t reveal any more than that.

Rod Fergusson’s reply should make Diablo fans happy

At the DICE event, I had an engaging conversation with Stephen Totilo about the gaming industry’s future, sparked by his innovative idea of one industry leader posing a question for another. This led to Marc Merril from Riot Games asking me about Diablo’s next major milestone. To all the dedicated Diablo fans out there, I want to assure you that our team at Blizzard has a long-term vision in place for this cherished franchise. We’re meticulously mapping out a 10-year plan for Diablo’s development, although it’s important to remember that plans can always evolve over time.

A change in pace for expansions

At the very same function, it was revealed that the significant expansion for Diablo 4 is scheduled for the year 2026, marking a departure from the usual annual release pattern.

Recently, enthusiasts were given a Diablo 4 2025 plan, which contained information about upcoming seasonal content, partnerships with two new intellectual properties, and a potential sneak peek at a fresh character class coming in 2026. Although some fans found it exciting to catch a glimpse of Blizzard’s future strategies, others expressed concerns over the roadmap’s unclear specifics and the perceived reuse of seasonal elements such as borrowed abilities and reputation systems.

Slower storytelling in Sanctuary

Refrasing the text:

* The fact that Blizzard is hinting at a 10-year long Diablo game doesn’t surprise me in the least, and I’m content with them taking a bit more time to prepare the next expansion. Delaying expansions could potentially benefit the franchise in the long run.
* It’s important to remember that this will be the first Diablo game to have two expansions, as plans for Diablo 3 were scrapped before Reaper of Souls was even released.
* Many fans, including myself, felt let down by the direction of the story in the Vessel of Hatred expansion, despite its addition of the Spiritborn class and new content. The focus on Mephisto as a villain left many wanting for resolution that never came, and we’re now entering our third year without Diablo 4 featuring the titular Prime Evil himself.
* By stretching out Mephisto’s story arc across multiple expansions, Blizzard may be setting the stage for a more unified and impactful narrative in the long term. I hope that future expansions will bring more satisfying resolutions as well as intriguing new directions for the lore in Sanctuary.
* Blizzard’s goal of 10 years of Diablo content gives me optimism, and it’s evident that they are prioritizing both player feedback and long-term planning. While some may become frustrated with the slower pace of expansions and updates, this deliberate approach could lead to a better game overall, and I hope we look back fondly on these years debating over what color the Helltides will be each season.

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2025-04-13 17:09