Diablo IV will receive annual expansions, continuing the live-service model for the recently released title. General manager Rod Ferguson confirmed the news in an interview with Dexerto, stating that outside of the quarterly seasons players have gotten to experience so far, “annual expansions” will provide players larger gameplay content.
The news from Ferguson gives a small glimpse into what the years ahead look like for Diablo IV.
“We’ve got plans, we have storylines that go well into the future. We’ve got plans. We’re always leapfrogging our seasons, and leapfrogging our expansions, so it’s something we are going to do for a long time. We’re excited.”
Those expansions will further the lore of Diablo IV and keep players invested for years, if not a decade or more to come. The service model is set to be similar to that of Bungie’s, Destiny 2, which has produced a major expansion yearly, along with numerous rotational seasonal content. More recently, Destiny 2 unveiled The Final Shape expansion which is said to be content, 10 years in the making. Other live-service games such as The Elder Scrolls Online and Final Fantasy XIV which are near decades old since their initial release still see supportive updates and major expansion content.
Diablo IV’s second season is set to launch in October, named Season of Blood which brings Vampire Hunter companion. Any more news of Diablo IV expansions could be revealed at BlizzCon which is set for November 3rd-4th.