Blizzard Entertainment's big convention BlizzCon had some fantastic announcements in 2019, and the continuation of the Diablo series in particular was long awaited. The announcement of Diablo IV had been rumored in the months leading up to the event, but nothing had been confirmed by the company yet.

BlizzCon runs over three days, and already on its first day and within hours of its opening, Blizzard Entertainment released a gruesome cinematic trailer announcing that Diablo IV was becoming a reality for the many patient fans.

The cinematic trailer was, to say the least, very cruel to watch, and it quickly gave the die-hard fans an idea that the game series will once again explore the dark and gloomy themes that made the games a success many years ago. In addition to announcing the game, there was also the opportunity to try out a very early version of the game if you were at the event. The early version was obviously very limited as Diablo IV doesn't even have a release date yet. That being said, most of the feedback has been very positive as the game, in addition to updated and realistic graphics, also feels far more well-developed than what its predecessor Diablo III did.

Good news was needed

Blizzard Entertainment, however, was undoubtedly aware that they needed to come up with something great that their loyal fans could look forward to. In recent years, the gaming company has been heavily criticized for questionable decisions. At BlizzCon 2018, Blizzard Entertainment didn't really have anything new to come up with besides the controversial Diablo Immortal, which is a mobile game set in the Diablo universe. The announcement of Diablo Immortal immediately resulted in headwinds and derided comments from fans and reviewers alike. There was a huge disappointment that it was the only thing Blizzard Entertainment had to offer the many millions of Diablo fans who had hoped for a sequel - ie Diablo IV. The many fans had to wait another year before Blizzard Entertainment announced that Diablo IV was also a reality.

The problem with Diablo Immortal was the timing. If the gaming company had chosen to announce the mobile game after confirming Diablo IV, then they would most likely have been met with enthusiasm. But that was not the case. Diablo Immortal was announced and Blizzard Entertainment had nothing to offer their fans. Headwinds were only amplified when the gaming company chose to bandlight a professional Hearthstone player as he expressed dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong and China conflicts. The fans were angry when they accused Blizzard Entertainment of valuing the Chinese markets higher than they did freedom of speech. The result was that the company was in a situation where there was a great need for projects that fans could look forward to, otherwise they would end up ruining themselves and their reputation. BlizzCon 2019 was the miracle they needed. Diablo IV was met with open arms, and the continuation of the game series World of Warcraft, called World of Warcraft: Shadowlands also created a bit of enthusiasm. In addition to the two games, Blizzard Entertainment also announced Overwatch two.