Inspired by Diablo Immortal, Blizzard adds a new class to Diablo 4

Diablo IV‘s first major DLC expansion, Vessel of Hatewill be released later this year on all platforms. The upcoming DLC ​​not only adds a new region to explore and loot, but also a new class – the Spiritborn – that has never been seen before in the franchise. And according to Blizzard, the decision to add a new class came after Diablo Immortal has done this successfully.

Already announced in November 2023, Vessel of Hate is the first paid extension for Diablo4—which itself launched in June 2023. It will be released later this year after months and months of (mostly) well-received updates and fixes to the main game, including a massive overhaul of the loot in April

. So the game is at a good point and it seems like the perfect time to add a new realm to explore and a new class to play. But we could have perhaps used a more traditional, already existing Diablo Class in this extension if Immortal– the mobile spin-off – hadn’t attempted to add new archetypes to Blizzard’s loot-focused ARPG, and hadn’t succeeded.

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Diablo Franchise boss Rod Fergusson explained that the introduction of the Blood Knight in Immortal in 2023 helped him and the team gain confidence, Diablo4‘s Ghostborn.

“I think I was more nervous when we chose the Blood Knight for Immortalbecause this was the first new class in a decade,” Fergusson said.

“So for me it was like, ‘Oh, wow. We’re coming out with a new class in ten years,’ you know? And then when I saw how well the Blood Knight was received, I thought, ‘Oh, OK. People are open to new ideas and new ways to do this. And then we came out with the Tempest, and the Tempest was a huge success too.'”

Now, ahead of the October release of Vessel of Hatesaid Fergusson Games Radar+ that it makes him “feel good” to add something to the franchise that is not “immediately understood as a classic archetype” from fantasy games and stories.

But Fergusson confirmed that he and the team at Blizzard know that a lot of people (myself included) really want a Crusader or Sword and Shield-like class to play around with Diablo4.

“We hear very loudly the fantasy of board and sword paladins and crusaders, which we’re not currently fulfilling, but we wanted the opportunity to do something based on the region we’re adding. We want to do something new that’s creatively interesting and just offers a new experience.”

Hopefully Blizzard will bring my Crusader class back in a future update or expansion, and I can go back to smashing demons with my shield for hours like I used to. Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls And Diablo Immortal.

‘Diablo 4’S Vessel of Hate The expansion will be released on October 8th for all platforms.

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