The Original Diablo Will Be Playable in Diablo 3

With 2016 marking 20 years of Diablo, Blizzard announced something special for fans of the action role-playing game franchise at BlizzCon 2016. And no it was not Diablo 4.

Rather, it’s a content patch called The Darkening of Tristram for Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls. This update will bring a 16-level dungeon to the game complete with the four bosses from the original Diablo.

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Along with this, there will be special graphic filters to make the game pixelated and grainy just as it was in its original December 31, 1996 release. Movement will be locked to eight directions as well. It will be available to all current characters in-game although it’s recommended to try it out with a new character.

There’s no release date yet but The Darkening of Tristram patch will be playable via Public Test Realm (PTR) - a service to test patches before release to the general populace, next week.

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In addition to this, two new zones will be added to the game’s Adventure Mode. These include the Shrouded Moors and the Temple of the Firstborn. Also, console owners will get Seasons, an optional competitive game mode that allows players to create and level up a new character from scratch without previous items and currency.

While there was little in the way of an announcement of a new Diablo game or expansion to mark two decades of the series, some fans are holding out, expecting a hint during one of BlizzCon 2016’s many panels. Though it seems unlikely given that the opening presentation would have been the perfect stage for such a reveal.