“Diablo IV” is the latest in a long string of hotly-anticipated sequels gracing us this year. Though I don’t love the dizzying rate at which you’ll acquire and discard items, I’ll admit that no other series offers quite so refined a “kill, loot, level-up” loop as “Diablo.” It was an absolute blast to play with my colleagues Alex Curley, Haitrieu Nguyen and Nina Fill as I prepared for this piece. Its mechanics haven’t changed all that much from my days co-oping “Diablo III,” but the unmatched production values and darker tone have won over diehards and newcomers alike. CEO Bobby Kotick recently denied that the company fosters a toxic work culture, while an internal transparency report outlined an uptick in employee-reported harassment.īut for the moment at least, “Diablo IV” has stepped up as a franchise messiah. The reception is welcome news for developer Activision Blizzard, which has faced perennial fan outrage and lawsuits alleging sexual abuse (which the company settled). “Diablo IV” features seamless multiplayer, which I enjoyed with NPR colleagues.

Diablo immortal controversy