Image: Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard is well aware of players who want a crusader class in Diablo 4, too.
Blizzard Entertainment’s new character class for Diablo 4 was partly inspired by the franchise’s mobile spin-off Diablo Immortal. Diablo 4’s first expansion Vessel of Hatred will introduce an all-new playable class called the Spiritborn, which is something Blizzard only decided to do after Diablo Immortal added the franchise’s first new class in nine years.
How Diablo Immortal inspired Blizzard to make a new class in Diablo 4
In a recent interview with Gamesradar, Diablo franchise head Rod Fergusson confirmed a surprising connection between Diablo’s upcoming Vessel of Hatred expansion and Diablo Immortal. According to the developer, positive fan reaction to Diablo Immortal’s new Blood Knight class - the franchise’s first new class in nine years - encouraged Blizzard to make more new classes instead of bringing back old ones.
Fergusson said:
I think I was more nervous when we did the Blood Knight for Immortal, because that was the first new class in a decade. And so for me, it was like, “Oh, wow. We're about to do a new class in a decade,” you know? And then when I saw how the Blood Knight went over, I was like, “Oh, OK. People are open to new ideas and new ways of doing this,” and then we released the Tempest, and the Tempest was hugely successful, too.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred will add a new region in the form of Nahantu, the jungle area located to the south of Sanctuary’s Kehjistan. The expansion’s new character class, the Spiritborn, is intrinsically tied to the region as its apex predator. While Fergusson admits that the Diablo 4 team, “hear very loudly the board and sword Paladin, Crusader fantasy that we are not currently fulfilling,” the team also wanted to introduce, “something that was based within the region we were adding. We want to do something new that was creatively interesting and just bring a new experience."
Now, Fergusson is, “feeling good about bringing something that's not instantly understood as a classic archetype of the D&D world.” While the crusader-like class players might be craving at the moment still seems out of reach, their wants clearly are being heard. For now, though, the Spiritborn will have to suffice. Maybe next year!
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred launches on October 8, 2024.
