After Diablo 4, Blizzard's Next Step is Clear

After Diablo 3 dabbled with MMO elements, Diablo 4 seems to have taken it to the next level. Multiplayer has been a feature of the franchise for a little while, but it has never been the focus. The series is still primarily a singleplayer ARPG franchise, and that will likely not change anytime soon. However, Diablo 4's multiplayer component could be a major part of the franchise's future.

While players can still play Diablo 4 by themselves, the game heavily incentivizes multiplayer. Diablo 4 players can join clans, compete in PvP matches, participate in world events, and fight alongside anyone they come across. It feels like an MMO in all but name, and maybe it is time for Blizzard to take that final leap. Just like World of Warcraft before it, a World of Diablo may be exactly what the franchise needs.

It Might Be Time for a World of Diablo

Players are met with Diablo 4's multiplayer component pretty early on in their adventure. They will encounter other players in the major cities and occasionally see them traversing the massive open world. The world is also littered with public events that will draw players out of hiding, and they may end up fighting alongside each other frequently during their travels. This makes Diablo 4 feel like a living breathing world, but it is just the start of the game's multiplayer offerings.

After players finish Diablo 4's prologue, they can invite other players to their party. Up to four players can traverse Sanctuary and experience the story together. The game also features crossplay, so it does not matter what device players play on. Along with that, Diablo 4 also features PvP areas for anyone who wants to test their mettle against other players and MMO guild-like groups known as clans.

Diablo 4 seems to have all the makings of an MMO, but it is not considered an MMO. The franchise has not made the leap into that genre just yet, but maybe it should. While the mainline Diablo games should stay the same, it might be time for Blizzard to explore the franchise's full potential. World of Warcraft has taken many cues from Diablo over the years, and perhaps it is time for WoW to return the favor.

A World of Diablo MMO could be unlike anything players have seen before. Blizzard could build Sanctuary in its entirety and give players a massive new journey to embark on. Multiple continents and kingdoms could exist in a constantly evolving online world, and post-launch expansions could expand that potential even further. While it could be an ARPG, it could also evolve into a classic MMORPG and give players a brand-new experience in their favorite fantasy world.

Each class from the Diablo franchise could be present with new skills and abilities to take advantage of the massive experience. Each class could also start in different regions, or players could select what primary kingdom they want to begin their journey in. They would then embark on a new adventure filled with classic Diablo goodness and iconic lore characters. It could take everything that people like about the franchise and bring it into an entirely new genre that pushes Diablo to new heights.

Bringing Diablo to the MMO genre would be like bringing the Warcraft RTS series to the MMO genre, and that worked out very well for Warcraft. Blizzard already seems to want to inject social elements into the Diablo franchise, and an MMO would finally let it deliver on that potential. While it should not come at the expense of the fantastic ARPGs, it could breathe new life into this franchise and give fans dozens of new stories to experience for years to come.