WATCH: 20 years later, ‘Diablo II’ will get a remastered, ‘Resurrected’ version

Plus, the Rogue returns for Diablo IV

Feb 20, 2021

AT THEIR annual BlizzCon celebration, developers Blizzard Entertainment took the wraps off their long-rumored project: a full remaster of the 20-year-old Diablo II.

Called Diablo II: Resurrected, the game will bring both Diablo II and its expansion, Lord of Destruction, into the modern age with up to 4K graphics. It will be available for every major console and on PC.

Look at how juicy the new graphics are in the trailer below.

Blizzard says that you can also turn on original graphics for Diablo II: Resurrected, in case you're not a fan of 4K graphics, dynamic lighting, 3D models, and all that other good stuff.

It also said that it did not change any of the game's balance or items or the way its seven character classes play. So it will feel exactly the same as you remember, just with a fresher coat of paint.

“This isn’t a remake,” said executive Rod Fergusson to Polygon. “We’re not reverse-engineering it; we’re not rebuilding it and trying to make it look and sound like [Diablo 2]. This is [Diablo 2]. [...] It’s right there, underneath the surface. The entire simulation, the engine for this game, that lifeblood of this game, is [Diablo 2] right underneath.

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The game will be released this year, but no specific date was mentioned. The first Diablo II was released all the way back in June 2001, so a June 2021 drop would have a nice, diabolical symmetry to it.

Blizzard also released a new trailer for the upcoming Diablo IV, showcasing the return of the Rogue class.

The studio's most recent attempt at remastering one of their classics, WarCraft 3: Reforged, was met with criticism from many gamers. Fergusson told PC Gamer that they hoped to avoid that by staying very true to the original, but at the same time, keeping the Resurrected version separate, server-wise, from the original version.