It seems that Diablo 4 may be set for an April 2023 release window, according to the latest information from a number of sources. Activision Blizzard's long-awaited next entry in the revered Diablo franchise is already known to be slated to launch sometime in 2023, but a more accurate window of time is yet to be announced in an official capacity.
Diablo 4 is supposed to revitalize the franchise as a prime offering on PCs and consoles after its mobile-centric predecessor, Diablo Immortal, came to be widely criticized for its monetization scheme. Though the specifics of Diablo 4's own monetization haven't yet been made known, the early gameplay leaks and other assorted information appear to be rather promising so far.
According to information sourced by Windows Central, Diablo 4 is slated to launch in April 2023. Specifically, this was first suggested by the XboxEra podcast, though Windows Central claims that separate sources have also tentatively corroborated as much. Blizzard did announce that Diablo 4's closed beta is ending soon, with the game's public testing phase kicking off early in 2023, the timeline of which would certainly support these new unofficial reveals. Said sources also claim that Blizzard would use The Game Awards 2022 to kick off Diablo 4's allegedly substantial media blitz campaign.
2022 has had plenty of Diablo 4 leaks suggesting features both big and small, and much of the new information fits with what's already known about the game. For example, Blizzard is bound to pivot Diablo 4 into a live service game, not dissimilar to what's being done with the recent Call of Duty titles, and new information suggests that Season 1 of Diablo 4 would be going live sometime in Q3 2023. This would, from the looks of it, give early adopters some time to play through the base content before kicking things off with live service additions.
Being one of the most hyped upcoming games of 2022, Diablo 4 has the potential to turn the franchise back to its roots. All promotional materials suggest that Blizzard is looking to leverage the classic Diablo aesthetic and atmosphere over the milder, more cartoonish looks of Diablo 3, which is precisely what fans have been asking for all along. The game itself is, therefore, likely to satisfy franchise veterans at launch, with future seasonal content likely to keep them coming back for more over a long period of time.
At the same time, it's worth pointing out that Diablo Immortal has reportedly made over $300 million in revenue, making it an incredibly successful foray for the franchise. With this in mind, it's all but certain that Blizzard will attempt to apply some of Immortal's own lessons to Diablo 4 when push comes to shove, with the only question being how far its own monetization might end up going.
Diablo 4 will launch in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Windows Central