2023 release date, microtransactions, classes, cross play, content, beta, economy system, teams and more on Diablo 4!

Release date and beta

First crucial element, the confirmed release date for 2023! Note that Overwatch 2 has also been announced for 2023, but with a date, October 4. We can therefore probably estimate a release after this date, either November or December 2023, possibly the beginning of the year 2024 if Blizzard drags its feet. The good news is that you can try your luck for the Diablo 4 official beta. So remember to register!

Economic system and microtransactions

Second important information is everything that revolves around the economic model of Diablo 4, here is what you should remember:

• the game will be paid
• there will be microtransactions, in theory only for skins or extension / dlc
• we would get closer to the Overwatch 1 system (not the 2 which will be Free to Play), with a paid game and the possibility of spending money to buy skins
• hoping that Blizzard is legit on this point, paying for a game with the possibility of having additional purchases in this one being very limited

Classes

With the announcement on June 12 of the arrival of the Necromancer, here are the classes available:

• Barbarian
• sorcerer
• Druid
• thief
• Necromancer

A bit of a shame that these classes are the ones we are used to from the Diablo series, even if at least they are sure values. Note, however, that there is clearly a lack of a melee character, such as a Crusader or Paladin, to see what Blizzard has in store for us!

Crusader-play, cross-progression, brackets and team system

It's finally good news for new games, this one will be available in cross-play and cross-progression! That's to say :

• you will be able to play with people on Pc, Xbox or Playstation at the same time, however the game has not been announced on Switch
• you can start a game on PC, resume it on Xbox or Playstation, but you will need to buy the game several times in principle, a bit like with Diablo 2 Resurrected

You will have the opportunity to make a group of players of different levels, the enemies being based on the level of each player (and not the level of the group). It's a system similar to what is offered on Diablo Immortal and quite well done!

For console players, you will be able to play several on the same screen. It's not specified in the official article, but probably it will be offline only.

Contents and activities

Here are some activities already planned on the game:

• Bastions: areas occupied by enemies to recover
• Dungeons: instances filled with mobs, a bit like on Diablo Immortal
• Local events: the classic system where you have to help an NPC or kill a monster in the map
• Boss Hors Instances: bosses to fall with a previously formed team, a bit like Diablo Immortal raids
• PvP zones: the best place to battle other players
• Trees of Whispers: bounty systems, complete a mission for a bonus, similar to Diablo Immortal bounties

If you've played Diablo Immortal, you won't be surprised by these activities. However, it is interesting to note that you will be able to do most of the activities by being solo or in a group, except the Bosses Hors Instances. To see what the events give, hoping that it will be a little more exciting than just helping an NPC who got lost!

By Alchemists, June 2021