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Based on new information from Activision Blizzard, Diablo 4 looks to be inspired by the publisher's perennial classic, World of Warcraft. There are two known Diablo projects coming in the near future. The mobile-only Diablo Immortal isn't terribly exciting for longtime franchise fans, but Diablo 4 is much more highly anticipated. Both titles will feature microtransactions and multiplayer elements, but Diablo 4 is the game players and pundits alike are looking to carry the action RPG banner into the next generation.

Despite being mostly enigmatic since its 2019 announcement, anticipation is incredibly high for the title. With every entry, the Diablo series has reinvented the action RPG genre and set the bar by which other titles in the genre are judged. Even eight years later, Diablo 3 is still a tremendously popular game due to consistent updates and additions to a stellar gameplay foundation. Hopes are high Diablo 4 will mark the start of a new generation of the RPG genre, and a new update from Activision Blizzard suggests how the storied developer might accomplish this daunting task.

According to the latest "quarterly update" from Activision Blizzard, Diablo 4 will incorporate more social multiplayer elements than previous titles in the series, including social hubs and shared-world areas where multiple players, and teams of players, can challenge difficult "world bosses." As the game currently stands, these online activities will only open up after players have conquered the main story content in each area.

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Diablo 3 had local and online multiplayer options for up to four players, but the new sequel adds new wrinkles to the formula, clearly inspired by the likes of Destiny and World of Warcraft. Based on Activision Blizzard's language during the blog post, the new online infrastructure updates are an addition to the core Diablo experience, rather than something that completely transforms it. For players who want to play by themselves, traditional solo play will still be an option for the old-school purists.

Activision Blizzard has a lot riding on Diablo 4. Games like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty continue to reign supreme for the company, but after losing Bungie and its Destiny IP – as well as the public backlash against the studio following the Blitzchung/Hong Kong controversy – work needs to be done in order to win back the skeptical crowds. Between the high-profile announcement of the mobile Diablo Immortal and the inexplicable touting of post-release microtransactions in Diablo 4 during the first round of marketing for the title, Blizzard has a lot of ground to make up. Hopefully, the final game can live up to the legacy of its franchise and remind video game enthusiasts why they fell in love with Diablo in the first place.

I hope they someday pay attention to Linux.