Highlights
Blizzard President Mike Ybarra claims that the wait for Diablo 5 won't be as long as previous installments, signaling a potential change in the development cycle.
Blizzard's desire to enhance the development of upcoming Diablo games may be fueled by the triumph of Diablo 4 and the sustained enthusiasm for the franchise. Moreover, in light of the potential acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, the company might be compelled to align with Microsoft's future aspirations, potentially altering their development timelines.
Blizzard's President, Mike Ybarra, recently stated online that the wait for Diablo 5 will not be as long as it was for Diablo 4 or the third main installment in the franchise. Ybarra also hinted at the company's plans to expand their latest action RPG, aligning with their previous promise to provide years of post-launch support for Diablo 4.
Following the success of Diablo in 1997, the Irvine-based developer released Diablo 2 in 2000, both of which received major expansion packs shortly after. However, fans had to wait 11 years for the release of Diablo 3, even though development for the third installment began as early as 2001. Similarly, Blizzard took their time with Diablo 4, and it was finally released to overwhelmingly positive reviews on June 5, 2023.
Blizzard President Mike Ybarra has hinted that Diablo 5 may break the trend of long development cycles. In a recent tweet, Ybarra mentioned that fans will no longer have to wait as long between titles in the future. He also teased that there are exciting plans in store for Diablo 4 and beyond. This shift in development cycles could be attributed to the overwhelming interest in the series, evident from the record-breaking launch of Diablo 4 in June.
Another factor that has the potential to expedite the future development of Diablo games is Activision Blizzard currently being on the brink of a major acquisition by Microsoft. The massive $68.7 billion deal primarily focuses on content and aims to bolster Xbox Game Pass with popular titles like Diablo 4 and the Call of Duty franchise. This suggests that Blizzard might already be ramping up its development efforts to support Microsoft's long-term goals.
However, Microsoft has historically taken a hands-off approach when it comes to managing studios, so it is also possible that the acquisition may not have an immediate impact on Blizzard's product roadmaps, assuming it goes through. Regardless of the outcome, the recent comments from Ybarra indicate that the developer is already actively considering Diablo 5.
Diablo 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
