Rumor: ‘Diablo 2’ Remaster titled ‘Diablo 2: Resurrected’ is dropping this year!
Friends, I think we’ve all assumed a Diablo 2 remaster was coming. However, did we expect it to come out this year? Not me! But, it is! Apparently.
Rock Paper Shotgun:
Hell might freeze over before we hear more about Diablo IV, but you might not have to wait too long before facing off with the devil once more. Emissaries from Hell (well, France) suggest that Blizzard are working on a remaster of Diablo II, reportedly summoning a modern rerelease of the series highlight by the end of the year.
That’s all according to French site ActuGaming (via PC Gamer), who claim to have insight on several unannounced Blizzard games from “sources close to the studio”. Alongside three mobile games and plans for future Warcraft expansions, sources claim a Diablo 2 remake titled “Diablo 2 Resurrected” is reportedly on the cards for a late-2020 release.
Lending some weight to these rumours, ActuGaming editor Julien Blary pre-empted the reveal of Overwatch 2, Diablo 4 and World Of Warcraft: Shadowlands on Twitter. Blizzard also revealed they were working on multiple Diablo projects following Diablo Immortal’s tepid announcement in 2018, with only Diablo 4 making its presence known since.
For a while, a D2 remaster seemed a difficult feat. Speaking on the DiabloII.net podcast back in 2017, former series head David Brevik reckoned not enough of the original’s assets survived to make a faithful remake – seemingly deriding the idea of making the attempt at all. “If they do a Diablo 2 Remaster, it’s going to be difficult to make it feel exactly like the same game”. Despite this, ActuGaming reports that Vicarious Visions – the Activision studio that helped port Destiny 2 to PC and worked on the 2017 Crash Bandicoot remasters – have been contracted to do exactly that.
In another time, a Diablo 2 remaster would be universally welcome news. It’s only the best one of the lot, after all. But then, Warcraft 3 was equally beloved, and its Reforged remaster hit so poorly that Blizzard started offering refunds to dissatisfied players, no questions asked. Actugaming’s sources do note that Blizzard recognise a “mistake in the communication” surrounding Warcraft 3: Reforged’s state.
The source also claims World Of Warcraft: Shadowlands may arrive “later than usual”, and note that Blizzard intend to push out two more Warcraft expansions in the next three years. As usual, these rumours mean little until we hear official word from Blizzard.
Treat these rumours as you would any demonic text.