Diablo 4 Officially Delayed by Blizzard
In a newly released Activision Blizzard third quarter investor document, the publisher officially announced that Diablo IV has been pushed back. The game never had a firm release date to begin with, and wasn't expected to release until sometime after this year, so it's difficult to say exactly when fans might be able to expect it. The delay was announced alongside a similar decision for Overwatch 2. During the call, Activision attributed the delay to a need to give its teams more time to focus on both of these releases, so the finished games can live up to the hype.
"These are two of the most eagerly anticipated titles in the industry, and our teams have made great strides towards completion in recent quarters. But we believe giving the teams some extra time to complete production and continue growing their creative resources to support the titles after launch will ensure that these releases delight and engage their communities for many years into the future," a slide in the document reads. The document also seemed to imply that the games could release in 2023.
Given some of the negative feedback surrounding Diablo II: Resurrected, a delay for the next game in the series might not be the worst decision! The remake was released back in September, but the game's constant server issues have resulted in demands for refunds from players. It's impossible to say whether this played a role in Diablo IV's delay, but Activision Blizzard could be playing it safe to ensure that a similar situation does not happen with the next game in the series. Delays can certainly be frustrating, but a rushed product is certainly worse. Hopefully, the team working on Diablo IV will get all the time it needs to make sure that the game delivers on its promise!
Diablo IV is set to release on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. You can check out our previous coverage of the game right here.
Are you disappointed that Diablo IV is being pushed back? Have you been looking forward to the next game in the series? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!