Blizzard Bigwig appears to offhandedly confirm that Diablo 4 is adopting Destiny's expansion model

 Rod Fergusson mentioned Diablo 4's "annual expansions" in a conversation with Dexerto.

Blizzard Bigwig appears to offhandedly confirm that Diablo 4 is adopting Destiny's expansion model

Are you ready for more of Diablo 4? Well, it seems like you'll be getting just that. A recent interview with Diablo General Manager Rod Fergusson by Dexerto hints at an intriguing future for the game. Fergusson casually mentioned that Diablo 4 is planning to adopt a model based on quarterly seasons and annual expansions, a strategy reminiscent of games like Destiny.

Inquired about the future of Diablo 4, especially considering that Diablo 3 recently concluded its final season after an impressive 11-year run, Fergusson compared the question to asking "how long is a piece of string?" However, he did share some insights, emphasizing that they view the game's launch and the initial season as the foundation upon which they'll build for years to come. The focus is squarely on the quarterly seasons and annual expansions, shaping the game's live service.

This approach closely mirrors the one currently employed by Destiny 2, which might not come as a shock given that Diablo 4 is positioned as the most service-oriented installment in the series. While it's intriguing news, it was somewhat casually mentioned in the interview. It's possible that Blizzard views this transition to the live-service model as an expected evolution of the franchise, or it could be that Fergusson's comments were unintentional. We've reached out to Blizzard for confirmation and will update this article accordingly.

Notably, this news follows Bungie's recent announcement of changes to its own live service model for Destiny 2. After the upcoming expansion, "The Final Shape," Destiny 2 will shift away from its current quarterly seasonal releases in favor of three "episodes," Each contains multiple acts with new storylines, weapons, and artifact perks. This adjustment is partly due to player fatigue with the predictable and formulaic nature of each season, which might raise questions about the viability of replicating this model.

Importantly, Fergusson frames this model as a way of addressing the disappointment some players felt with Diablo 3. He mentioned, “When you look back and realize that there were 11 years between D3 and D4, that feels like we didn't live up to "Our players, our community, and what they deserve." Diablo 3 had only received one expansion pack, "Reaper of Souls," during its lifespan and a relatively modest 29 seasons before Blizzard began phasing it out in favor of Diablo 4.

Blizzard seems to be acknowledging that Diablo 3's content might have felt somewhat lacking to its player base. Regardless, it's clear that Diablo 4 is poised for a long and eventful journey in the years ahead.