2023 has been the year of massive, long-anticipated releases that have, by and large, launched to incredible critical and commercial success, from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to Resident Evil 4 and more. Another name has now been added to that list, though it’s unlikely to take anyone by surprise.
Diablo 4 launched in early access last week for Ultimate Edition owners, and today, went live worldwide for all players across all platforms. Blizzard Entertainment has announced that the game has already become the biggest launch in the company’s history. With more pre-launch unit sales than any previous Blizzard title to date, it is the developer’s fastest-selling game to date.
Since its early access launch on June 1, Diablo 4 has been collectively played for over 93 million hours, the company says.
“This is a moment years in the making for the Diablo 4 team,” said Rod Fergusson, general manager of Diablo. “We’re extremely proud to offer players the richest story ever told in a Diablo game. Players have a range of choices, including personal character customization, equipping personalized skills for battling horrific demons, or collecting Legendary loot to support your playstyle while discovering new ones. Since the game was first announced in 2019, the support from millions of players around the world drove us toward this release of our dark vision of Sanctuary”
“Our vision at Blizzard is to create legendary experiences for all to share, and Diablo 4 is an incredible realization of that vision,” said Mike Ybarra, President of Blizzard Entertainment. “With highly customizable gameplay, gripping storytelling, and plenty of options around how to engage with the world, this masterfully crafted expression of the Diablo universe is an outstanding example of what our talented development teams are capable of. Whether you’re a veteran of the series or diving into Sanctuary for the first time, we welcome players to the global launch of Diablo 4.”
Diablo 4 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Though the action RPG certainly isn’t lacking in content even in its current form, Blizzard is already working on two expansions as well as seasonal updates– read more on that through here.
