Diablo 4 Expansions Will Be Annual Releases, Blizzard Confirms

Diablo IV will not only receive multiple new expansions, but will receive them annually, Diablo franchise general manager Rod Fergusson has confirmed in a new interview.

Speaking with Dexerto, Fergusson said the Diablo IV development team is "building a foundation" for the future of Blizzard's popular ARPG and is already planning ahead. Part of that plan is yearly expansions.

"So, as we look at our quarterly seasons, and we look at our annual expansions, those are the things that we're really focused on for our live service," Fergusson said. "We've got plans, we have storylines that go well into the future. We've got plans. We're always leapfrogging our seasons, and leapfrogging our expansions, so it's something we are going to do for a long time. We're excited."

Fergusson said that the 11-year gap between Diablo III and Diablo IV "didn't live up to our players, our community, and what they deserve." Diablo IV's robust content schedule of quarterly seasons and annual expansions is looking to "rectify" that, he said.

Previously, Fergusson confirmed that two expansions are already in the works for Diablo IV. What those expansions might entail is still unclear, but previous Diablo games have added new locations, raised the game's level cap, and introduced new playable classes like Diablo II's Assassin and Druid and Diablo III's Crusader. Diablo II and Diablo III each only received one expansion, something it sounds like Diablo IV will surpass by the end of 2025.

Blizzard recently announced Diablo IV Season 2 as part of Gamescom Opening Night Live. Called Season of Blood, Diablo IV's next season will see players embrace vampiric powers and will additionally usher in a host of quality-of-life changes players have requested since launch. Meanwhile, Diablo IV Season of the Malignant is still in full swing, with the game's most recent balance patch addressing complaints players have had with monster crowd-control effects.