Diablo IV is set to arrive on Steam a mere four months after its initial multi-platform release. This devilish loot-based RPG will make its way to Valve’s game storefront on October 17, in line with Blizzard’s commitment to making more of its PC games available on the widely preferred platform. Previously, all Blizzard PC games were limited to their proprietary Battle.net launcher, causing inconvenience for players who had to switch between and log into different accounts. This has been a topic of frustration within the community, which strongly prefers having their entire game library accessible through Steam for the sake of convenience. Overwatch 2, a free-to-play shooter, was the first game to break this tradition back in August, although that transition didn’t go smoothly.
The Steam version of Diablo 4 is now available for wishlisting, and players will need to link or connect their Diablo 4 game to a Battle.net account to enable cross-platform play and cross-progression. However, there’s no need to keep Blizzard’s app installed on your PC as the game can be launched directly through Steam. This Steam release also comes with the added benefits of unlockable achievements and seamless integration with your Steam friend list, allowing you to easily invite others for cooperative demon-slaying sessions. Currently, there’s no information about whether existing owners of the game will receive a discount on their Steam purchase, but the store page offers the same three editions as the initial launch: Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate. During a recent developer update livestream, the team mentioned that Diablo IV is playable on the Steam Deck, although they didn’t delve into specific graphical settings.
Diablo 4 is set to debut on Steam alongside the upcoming Season 2 update, titled ‘Season of Blood,’ which grants players vampiric powers to venture through Sanctuary’s lands. This update will introduce a fresh questline, teaming you up with the crossbow-wielding vampire hunter Erys, voiced by Gemma Chan (known for The Eternals). Together, you’ll delve into a series of gruesome murders and hunt down the Dark Master behind them. Notably, players can access the Season 2 content right after completing the “Missing Pieces” prologue quest, allowing them to skip the campaign and dive into the bloodsucking action. The update also significantly improves the endgame progression, with up to a 40 percent increase in XP gains after reaching level 50. Players can also look forward to encountering five new endgame bosses, a general skill balance overhaul, and faster mounts for easier traversal.
As previously mentioned, Overwatch 2 was the first Blizzard PC game to make its way to Steam. However, the game faced a barrage of negative reviews, earning it the dubious distinction of being the worst-reviewed game on the platform. This backlash stemmed from players’ dissatisfaction with the battle pass system and the cancellation of the long-promised PvE mode. Diablo IV, on the other hand, had a positive reception at launch but experienced a decline in player satisfaction with the release of Season 1, which made the game less enjoyable to grind. Hopefully, history won’t repeat itself this time around.
Diablo IV is set to arrive on Steam on October 17. It is already available for play on PC through Battle.net and on consoles, including PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.