“Stay A While And Listen” – ‘Diablo’ Gets A New Official Tabletop RPG
Announced at BlizzCon this past weekend: a new Diablo tabletop RPG that promises to explore the world of Sanctuary.
Call it Diablo IV, the roleplaying game, if you want. At BlizzCon 2023, Blizzard announced a new tabletop take on Diablo. This time, focused on the fourth game in the series. Which is an interesting choice, because as folks have been saying, this latest installment is the one most in need of an infusion of new life. An IV for Diablo, if you will.
But, the game’s open world-ish design, while a drawback for fans of the video game, might be inspiring for the forthcoming tabletop roleplaying game. As the game is set to feature both an “overworld and underworld” to explore.
Diablo The Roleplaying Game
Here’s a look at the announcement from Glass Cannon Unplugged:
Glass Cannon Unplugged’s multi-year agreement with Blizzard calls for a growing range of tabletop games drawing from the full scope of the Diablo series and universe. The first release drops next fall with an official Diablo tabletop roleplaying game, which will launch via a pre-order campaign on Kickstarter after its world debut at BlizzCon® 2024.
Diablo®: The Roleplaying Game features an original core engine inspired by Diablo IV, the recent blockbuster that pioneers new ground for open-world, non-linear exploration. The Diablo RPG will further explore the overworld and underworld of Sanctuary, embarking on adventures above and below with fan-favorite mechanics torn straight from the screen.
The Core Rulebook is thematically set alongside Diablo IV, with future tabletop supplements planned throughout Diablo’s timeline. Moreover, the TTRPG is a direct companion to the upcoming Diablo: The Board Game, a co-op adventure board game slated for fall 2025. The TTRPG and board game will fuel one another with interchangeable game components, shared accessories, and complementary expansions with overarching events in a fully integrated product line.
That last line about a “fully integrated product line” notwithstanding (and let’s not withstand it, because when you read something like that, you understand why Sephiroth wanted to summon Meteor). And thankfully, the features that are hyped up seem to be more about the abilities, rather than the kinds of loot you can earn. Though when they talk about “fan-favorite mechanics torn straight from the screen” who doesn’t love clicking until purple and orange colored magic items drop, so it’s possible we’re headed for a loot piñata simulator, and if that’s the case I’m here for it. But it doesn’t seem likely.
Especially since the game is all about playing in Sanctuary, Diablo’s original world. And since all the marketing language seems centered around “fighting multiple opponents” with “fast-paced combat” which is infamously tricky to do with tabletop RPGs where you fight multiple opponents. But it’ll be exciting to see how they tackle it!
Diablo IV the RPG, like most every new RPG, is headed for Kickstarter “soon”.
