Diablo 4 reveals disturbingly creepy Necromancer, confirms 2023 release date

Blizzard announced today that Diablo 4 will be out in 2023 with full cross-play and cross-progression across all platforms. The release target was confirmed alongside a new trailer revealing the fifth and final class in Diablo 4:  The Necromancer. Enter a pale, somewhat off-putting fellow, who despite his grim demeanor never has to worry about travelling alone.

Unlike previous games in the series, Diablo 4 features non-linear character progression, enabling open-ended customization that continues through the endgame in Nightmare Dungeons, dedicated PvP zones, and Paragon Boards for character advancement beyond the maximum level. A brand-new Diablo 4 gameplay trailer that also appeared today showcases those new features and others, including the open game world, strongholds, and more. It looks pretty sweet.

"We can’t wait to open the gates of Hell next year—the talented team behind Diablo 4 puts gameplay first in everything they do, and they have built the biggest and most ambitious vision of Sanctuary yet," Blizzard president Mike Ybarra said. "This sprawling world draws deeply from the dark well of the franchise’s 25-year history and is designed around the philosophy of player choice, offering an adventure unlike anything Diablo players have experienced before."

The Diablo 4 closed beta is also coming soon—pre-registrations to take part went live today.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.