Combat has grown massively between each numbered Diablo game, and for Diablo 5, Blizzard is aiming to once again elevate those gameplay mechanics to new heights.
“Fundamentally, we’re an isometric action-RPG, and we’re not looking to shake that up with Diablo 5,” executive producer Matt Zitterman said to GameSpot at BlizzCon 2026. “We’re looking to improve on it, evolve it, and we have some great, interesting ideas about how to make combat feel even more visceral, even more action-forward. Kind of continuing to build on the success of that fast combat that started in Diablo 3, improved in Diablo 4, and we want to take it even further in Diablo 5. That’s really what we’re focused on from a combat and gameplay perspective.”
Zitterman added that Blizzard was also looking to the past for inspiration, picking the best elements from those games and building them into Diablo 5.
“Something we talk about a lot on the team is we want Diablo 5 to be a game that feels like it has elements for you, regardless of which Diablo game was your favorite,” Zitterman said. “We talk a lot about itemization in the game. Clearly, there’s some inspiration being taken from Diablo 2 there, but we’re also looking at Diablo 4 and the successes we’ve had there, and pulling forward ideas from there as well as Diablo 3. I think for us, Diablo 5 represents this really special moment in the franchise’s history where we get to look at the past and bring forward things that feel really familiar, but give them a fresh take.”
Diablo 5 will launch in 2029, and this time, Diablo has finally won. Set decades after the Lord of Terror successfully conquered Sanctuary, there’s no safe harbor or stronghold to retreat to this time, as players have to keep on the move and recruit allies to their caravan of survivors.
Diablo 5 will also give players more character classes to choose from than ever before, including the Monk, Demon Hunter, and the all-new Plague Knight that is empowered by spreading disease and pestilence across the battlefield.