The rumors are true. Blizzard is developing a remaster of its classic PC game, Diablo II, and it’s called Diablo II: Resurrected. Blizzard describes it as the “definitive remastering” of the game, along with its Lord of Destruction expansion. The fact that a remaster exists is a surprise, given that the original files were said to be actually lost by the original creators.
But indeed it is happening, and it’s on the way to PC and console. Resurrected launches in 2021 and it will be released on PC, Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5, and Nintendo Switch, with cross-play between platforms. Additionally, progression can move between platforms. As rumored, the game is being developed by Tony Hawk studio Vicarious Visions, which was recently folded into Blizzard Entertainment.
Resurrected changes Diablo II in a big way. Gone are the 2D sprites in favor of a “full 3D physically-based rendering,” featuring dynamic lighting and revamped animations. The game supports resolutions up to 4K depending on your platform.
Blizzard also announced that all 27 minutes of cinematics are getting shot-for-shot remakes “from the ground up.” The soundtrack has been updated, too, with support for Dolby 7.1.
“Diablo II was a pivotal game for Blizzard and millions of players around the world. With Diablo II: Resurrected, we’re excited to bring this classic back to PC and also to consoles–with cross-progression on supported platforms–so that players can relive their memories, or experience Diablo II’s timeless gameplay for the first time, on their platform of choice,” Blizzard president J. Allen Brack said. “With the new high-resolution audio and video in Diablo II: Resurrected, the game is as fun and engrossing today as it was twenty years ago.”
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Resurrected also has a classic mode of sorts, a la Halo’s Anniversary games, where you can press a button to switch between modern and retro graphics. The game’s trademark gameplay, “quirks and all,” will be present in Resurrected, along with some quality-of-life improvements such as the introduction of a shared stash.
Diablo II: Resurrected launches later in 2021 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC, along with last-gen consoles. A technical alpha test is in the works for PC, and you can sign up for it on the Diablo 2 website.
For more on all of the Blizzard news, head to our BlizzCon opening ceremony announcement recap.
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