Blizzard shares a first look at Diablo V

The fires rise once again, and the original evil has reawakened. Check out the first look at Diablo V, and the shattered world of Sanctuary.

Diablo returns. Actually.

For an arch-foe of the mortal world of Sanctuary itself, Diablo has been absent from his own series for a while. We suppose that hiatus wasn’t exactly a terrible thing though, since it’s good to vary the villains in long-running series’.

Still, the lord of terror was last seen in Diablo III. His presence wasn’t exactly looming over the entire game there either, as he was resurrected right at the end of the campaign. As for 2023’s Diablo IV? Yeah, he wasn’t in that one at all. Or, was he?

Well, technically he wasn’t. He hasn’t been included just yet at any rate, though he’s on the way. While part four of the action/RPG has eschewed him thus far, he’s making his way back very soon. And we mean, as in tomorrow.

It’s then that players of Diablo IV will be able to (presumably) face-off against the monstrous, otherworldly villain. That’ll be courtesy of Diablo IV‘s Season 15: Season of Hell’s Legacy. That’s not all though, as Blizzard’s annual BlizzCon event has shed some light on none other than Diablo V.

And from the looks of it, not only will the title character be back, but the game will see a very different world of Sanctuary.

The mortal realm has fallen

So, right from the top, be aware that there isn’t a ton of news to share about Diablo V. We mainly mean in the realms of story/gameplay though. Blizzard did make the game official, and also announce a release window of 2029. No, that’s not a misprint, it’s still a ways off.

If you’re looking for something to see from the game though, there’s a slight bit more for you to gawk at. That’s because the publisher also released both a trailer and a volley of concept art. The former is a teaser more than anything else, though it’s packed with hints as to what’s coming.

What’d you think of that? Pretty grim, overall. From this first-look, It appears as though the world of Sanctuary is just hanging on by a thread, having fallen by the time Diablo V begins. We’re definitely getting a post-apocalyptic vibe from the early look, complete with defeated heroes, and insane ‘preachers’ touting the rule of evil.

The concept art that we mentioned goes further, showing a select few locations around the world. Again though, this isn’t the familiar land that series fans might be familiar with. This time around, things will be significantly worse off.

Worse?!

Sanctuary has always been a bleak place. As players well know, its darkest corners and dankest bogs have always been chock full of shambling horrors. That’s been a constant from the opening screens of the original Diablo. In Diablo V though, the world has been completely dominated by the lord of terror. And with that, it’s worse off than usual.

The concept art reflects that aesthetic, showcasing a panoply of corruption. The wicked influence flows from Sanctuary’s natural setting to man-made wreckage of the world that was. Just keep in mind, before you peruse, that none of the imagery in the gallery below is final.

Yes, it’s an early look. And it’s one that’s not all that loads with info. Still, Diablo V is looking pretty great to us. We can’t wait to see what’s next, and that Spring of 2029 release seems just a little too far off for our tastes. Stay tuned though, there’ll be much more to come about this one in the months (years) ahead.