Diablo 5 news revealed at BlizzCon last weekend revealed the fate of the series’ main villain, who barely participated in the events of the fourth installment. Senior Art Director John Mueller and Senior Production Director Tiffany Wat explained that D4’s story was originally centered around Lilith, and adding the iconic demon as simple DLC would have been impossible due to its scale. According to Müller, the emergence of the King of Tragedy requires an entirely different ambition, since he always becomes the center of the universe rather than a supporting character.
Developers note that a full-fledged sequel frees up the studio’s hands to drastically change the scope of gameplay in the interest of massive innovation. In the fifth installment, victorious evil turns the world into a true nightmare, and players must gather strength to face severe resistance. At the same time, the team worked hard to make the story more personal and memorable, making the story and characters feel like an integral part of a beloved series with its own unique structure.