Season 1 of Diablo IV will begin on July 20, 2023. Blizzard studio announced this schedule during an event on July 6.
It is now official. During a live broadcast on July 6, Blizzard confirmed that Season 1 of Diablo IV will begin on July 20, 2023. The studio somewhat thwarts the predictions of the community, which was counting on a launch around July 21 or 28. Incidentally, the theme of the season has been revealed: it is the season of the malignant.
Launch of season 1 at the end of July
Before the formalization of the calendar, the players had counted on a start at the end of the month, based on the previous calendars of Blizzard: the studio generally space of two weeks the announcement of the date of the effective launch. The company is more used to launching them on Fridays, as we can see with this date of February 24 for season 28 of Diablo III.
Given these two parameters, the community expected a launch of season 1 on July 21 or 28. Players were asking Blizzard for a release date so they could plan their vacations accordingly. Rod Fergusson, Managing Director, had promised a quick announcement, next week in a June 30 tweet.
The system of seasons Diablo IV tended to alarm those unfamiliar with the specifics of the title or genre. This system is already in place in Diablo III for example, with about thirty seasons for a big decade. It is a game mode that introduces new features (whether in content or functionality), through the creation of a new character, which begins at level one.
At the end of a season, which lasts several months, the seasonal character becomes a permanent character and joins the “classic” world of Diablo IV. This mechanism is then repeated with each new season, with each time updates to make the challenge attractive: monsters, challenges, difficulties, weapons, equipment, gems, and so on. The studio’s goal is to maintain long-term audience interest.
Blizzard has indicated that items already unlocked since the game’s release will carry over to seasons. This includes the altars of Lilith, the Sanctuary map, the position of the teleport points (which will have to be re-unlocked). On the other hand, other things in Diablo IV will have to be redone. This list is not definitive: Blizzard has indicated that this list may be evaluated over the seasons. Season 2 will thus be able to diverge.
(updated with date)
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