"Diablo 5 Timing: Blizzard's Rod Fergusson on Diablo 4's Longevity"

At the DICE Summit 2025, Rod Fergusson, the general manager of the Diablo series, opened his keynote not by celebrating successes, but by reflecting on one of Diablo's most notorious failures: Error 37. This error, which surfaced at the launch of Diablo 3, prevented countless players from accessing the game due to server overloads. The incident drew significant criticism and even became a meme, but Blizzard eventually resolved the issue, steering Diablo 3 towards eventual success.

Fergusson is determined to prevent such mishaps as Diablo evolves into a more intricate live service model. With Diablo 4, the franchise has fully embraced this approach, featuring frequent updates, ongoing seasons, and major expansions. A recurrence of Error 37 could be devastating, especially as Blizzard aims for Diablo 4 to thrive as a long-lasting live service game.

Diablo, Immortal

During the DICE Summit 2025 in Las Vegas, I had the opportunity to speak with Fergusson after his talk titled “Evolving Sanctuary: Building a Resilient Live-Service Game in Diablo IV.” In his presentation, he outlined four key strategies for ensuring Diablo 4's resilience: scaling the game effectively, maintaining a steady flow of content, being flexible with design purity, and keeping players informed about upcoming developments.

Fergusson's vision for Diablo 4 is to keep players engaged consistently over the long term. This approach marks a significant shift from the traditional model of the Diablo series, which previously relied more on periodic expansions and updates. The live service model aims to keep Diablo 4 relevant and dynamic, much like other major AAA titles that continue to evolve over time rather than waiting for new sequels.

When asked about the future of Diablo 4, Fergusson expressed a desire for the game to last "for years," though he stopped short of calling it eternal. He referenced Destiny's attempt at a ten-year game plan and emphasized the importance of respecting players' time with a clear roadmap of future content.

Fergusson highlighted the extended development timeline for Diablo 4's second expansion, Vessel of Hatred, which was delayed to 2026. Initially planned for a yearly release, the expansion's timeline was adjusted to prioritize immediate updates and the first season's launch. He remains cautious about setting firm release dates, having learned from past experiences not to commit too early.

Ruining the Surprise…on Purpose

Transparency is a cornerstone of Fergusson's strategy. He plans to reveal a content roadmap in April and utilize the Public Test Realm (PTR) to let players test upcoming patches. Initially, the team hesitated to spoil surprises, but Fergusson now believes it's better to "ruin the surprise for 10,000 people so that millions of people have a great season." He acknowledges that even if PTR feedback is negative, it's preferable to making changes that could disrupt the game for months.

Fergusson also mentioned the challenge of expanding the PTR to consoles, currently limited to PC due to certification issues. However, with Xbox's support, Blizzard is working to overcome these obstacles. Additionally, Diablo 4's availability on Game Pass is seen as a way to attract more players, similar to its release on Steam alongside Battle.net.

Fergusson contrasted the live service models of Diablo 4 and the free-to-play Diablo Immortal, noting that Game Pass removes the entry barrier that a premium game like Diablo 4 presents, allowing continuous influx of new players.

All Hours Diablo

In our final discussion, I inquired about Fergusson's current gaming habits. He dismissed comparisons between Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2, emphasizing their distinctiveness. However, he is mindful of players who enjoy both games and aims to avoid scheduling conflicts between their seasons.

Fergusson shared his top three played games of 2024: NHL 24, Destiny 2, and, unsurprisingly, Diablo 4. He revealed an impressive 650 hours of playtime on Diablo 4 on his personal account, not including work hours. Currently, he's playing as a Companion Druid and has also started a Dance of Knives Rogue, showcasing his deep passion for the game that initially drew him to Blizzard five years ago.