Diablo IV stream to detail how seasons/battle pass systems work

Diablo now more hellish than ever before

Activision Blizzard has announced that it will be holding a live stream presentation next week for its incoming adventure sequel Diablo IV — The stream, set for Wednesday, May 10, will focus on some of the new elements coming to the Satanic franchise, such as seasons, cosmetics, and the Battle Pass.

None more Satanic.

While mechanics such as seasons and Battle Passes are generally reserved for multiplayer-centric titles with a daily online grind, particularly shooters and battle royale releases, these elements are been creeping further and further into other genres, such as fighting games and more single-player-centric experiences. The inclusion of a Battle Pass in particular seems an odd fit for Diablo IV, a title that generally consists of one/two players pushing through a narrative campaign, while earning a metric ton of loot and gear en route.

Regardless, we’ll soon know more about the controversial implementation of these features. Blizzard has already told us that they expect it to take “around 80 hours” to complete each Battle Pass, and that a Diablo IV season is expected to last in the region of around three-to-four months. Next Wednesday’s stream should finalize some of these details, as well as showing fans some of the cosmetic and other items that can be earned during Battle Pass progress.

The live stream will take place Wednesday, May 10 at 11:00 PT / 14:00 ET / 19:00 BST, and can be watched on the official Diablo social media channels, including YouTube and Twitch.

Diablo IV launches June 6 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Pre-order customers will be granted Early Access from June 1.

Chris Moyse

Senior Editor – Chris has been playing video games since the 1980s and writing about them since the 1880s. Graduated from Galaxy High with honors. Twitter: @ChrisxMoyse