As you’re no doubt aware, Diablo 5 is officially on the way, though we won’t be seeing it properly for a while. Nonetheless, Blizzard‘s been teasing what’s going on in this installment, and, well, things aren’t great. Sanctuary has fallen, and in your adventures, the only real safety you’ll find is within your own group.
During a panel on creating this new installment, several lead developers comment on what Diablo 5 will look and feel like. A sticking point is how rare any kind of genuine security will be. “This is personally one of my favorite parts of the game,” Matt Zitterman, executive producer on Diablo 5, says.
“How do we represent a town or a place of safety in a world where [Al’Diabolos] has already won and there literally is no safe place,” he explains. “The idea that really stuck with us is this idea that the player is the point of safety. You and your band of followers are the last remains of humanity, and the light in the darkness of Sanctuary.”
That’s a lot of pressure, but it fits not only the narrative but the game’s make-up too. Diablo 5 is going back to RNG for the dungeons and overworld, and that’s less conducive to reliable safe zones. If you’re essentially bringing the safer areas with you, that’s easier to work around.
“Throughout the campaign, you’re going to be bringing your caravan, your traveling band of wagons and followers with you through-out the world,” Zitterman adds. “Everywhere you stop is going to be a new part of the world to explore, and as you move through the world, meet new survivors, that caravan’s going to grow, and they’re going to become your merchants, your crafts-people, and your companions.”
He hints Blizzard is going to “tell much deeper stories” about the collective cast as a result, and we don’t to learn much about the characters who’ll be there, but one is a “treasure goblin” called Zarg. All I’m hearing is that there’ll be tears over accidentally letting characters you love die because of how ruthless the enemies are. At least we have a few years to prepare our emotions.