What Makes Diablo So Compelling? Diablo IV Designer & Producer Have Theories

The Diablo franchise has been a dominant force in video games since 1997, that’s 25 years! The games haven’t been launching at any kind of ridiculous clip over that time, in fact the fourth core entry, Diablo IV is only on track to release in 2023, so given that titles have been so few and far between, it makes it even more impressive that the game’s fanbase has always remained engaged throughout that time. So what makes the Diablo IP so compelling? Speaking to Australia’s Press-Start, Lead Class Designer Adam Jackson and Producer Ash Sweetring hypothesized about what makes the IP such an engaging one for fans, despite some near decade-long gaps between titles.

When asked what made Diablo such a compelling prospect for fans, both Sweetring and Jackon had some theories, saying,

My personality, it’s not quite the personality you’d associate with something like Diablo, right? That kind of draws me closer to it. That dark essence just makes it so alluring. Then the way we are able to tell stories contributes to the want for people to know what’s going on. It’s almost like a secret that everybody wants to be a part of. That’s one of the biggest pull factors for me. Diablo just does such an incredible job with storytelling and really jumping into the lore. It’s fascinating. There’s always more and more than you can find and pick up on and that personally interests me and catches my eye.

Ash Sweetring

I’d say there are two things that make the Diablo franchise and Diablo games, in particular, very compelling. The first one, like Ash mentioned, is this really rich history and story. It’s just a world that you can get lost in, especially in Diablo IV. This is the first time we’re introducing Sanctuary to players in a way that they can just go around and explore and find things and talk to people and get to know the world and story. We have such a deep and long history with this franchise, and if you just want to get lost in another world, this is a really cool way to do that.

Second, I’d say that Diablo is really separate from everything else in the deep systems and gameplay mechanics that you have. If you want to have a fantasy like, ‘I’m a Barbarian‘ or ‘ I’m a Sorcerer in this dark world, and I just want to go and do cool things‘, as that class, you can do that. Not only can you do that, but the way our gameplay and combat systems and everything work, you can do that for a really long time, and you can do it over and over again, exploring different fantasies and ways to play. The mix of that with the storytelling elements is why, I think, this franchise has lasted for so long and is so compelling for so many people.

Adam Jackson

Fans of Diablo, how do those ideas sound to you? After 25 years of dominance, it seems that Blizzard has truly identified and mastered the loop that keeps players hooked for hundreds and even thousands of hours a year.

Diablo IV is slated to launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on June 6, 2023.

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