Blizzcon, the annual Blizzard gaming convention in Anaheim, California, wrapped up on Saturday, November 5th. Fans of Diablo, a game released two decades ago, were not left hanging following the events.
Blizzard made two big announcements for the game, currently in its third installment: there will be a return of a fan favorite class, and the game's 20th anniversary will be celebrated in a big way.
The Necromancer class is returning in the Rise of the Necromancer DLC (downloadable content.) The Necromancer is a known character from Diablo II, and many were disappointed to see it had not been a part of Diablo III since its release in 2012. Although there is excitement, many are concern that the Necromancer will be too like the Witch Doctor class. However, Blizzard has ensured that they have worked long and hard on the development of the Necromancer, paying close mind to this potential issue, and assure players it will not be an issue. You can expect to see Rise of the Necromancer in 2017. To prepare, players need to purchase both the original Diablo III game as well as the Reaper of Souls expansion. You can check out the gameplay in the new trailer, available on Blizzard's Youtube account.
The second announcement is sure to bring joy to faithful Diablo players. The Darkening of Tristram will pay homage to the original, pixel ridden game that people fell in love with in the 90s. Releasing as an update, players will feel the time warp as they are catapulted back to the Kingdom of Khanduras and taken to the Cathedral. There, you will find sixteen dungeon levels and be required to face off the four classic Diablo villians - The Butcher, Skeleton King, Lazarus and Diablo.
Not only are the bosses coming back, but Blizzard has promised that the overall look of the levels will be downgraded to their original, pixelized state and the classic game soundtrack will be included. There is also the promise of in-game surprises as well as some of the original items. The Darkening of Tristram will occur annually. You can access the level via a portal in Old Tristram on adventure mode. It will be available as patch 2.4.3 in January. The Darkening of Tristram will be released in an update to owners of both Diablo III and the Reaper of Souls expansion.
There's no doubt that players will be logging on like wildfire in January to relive the best era of Diablo, possibly doing so with a Necromancer by their side. Mark your calendars, because the fun is just beginning.
