Diablo 5 release window casts next-gen console release window into doubt

Blizzard has announced Diablo V at BlizzCon 2026, confirming a new sequel to the long-running RPG franchise only three years after the last game was released.

Announced during the BlizzCon opening ceremony earlier this week, Diablo V was confirmed with a 47-second reveal trailer.

Blizzard revealed that Diablo V is set for release in Spring 2029, which would make it six years following the release of Diablo IV, and three years after its last expansion Lord of Hatred.

Video game console prices have taken a huge hit in recent months

What’s rather interesting about the announcement is that Blizzard has not announced any platforms yet for Diablo V, casting into doubt whether it’ll be a current-gen release or be on the next generation.

Next-gen consoles like the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Project Helix were previously rumoured to be out by 2027 or 2028, which would make Diablo V a prime candidate to come out during the early years of the tenth generation of video game consoles.

However, the price of consumer computer hardware has skyrocketed rather dramatically since these rumours began, with components like RAM, graphics cards, and solid-state storage increasing by as much as 400% over the past 12 months due to AI data centre consumption. Xbox and PlayStation consoles aren't exempt from this either, with several price hikes hitting both platforms since 2025.

Many industry analysts have doubted whether a 2028 release for the next-gen consoles would even be feasible given the circumstances. Supply for these parts isn’t expected to return to normal for at least two years, with prices taking potentially even longer to come back down.

As such, the PS6 and Xbox Project Helix have been rumoured to cost over $1000, making them a very expensive purchase for gamers looking to upgrade their setup.

The adoption rate for the systems could be the slowest one for a generation we’ve ever seen as a result, where people would rather hold onto their current-gen platforms instead of buying an expensive upgrade with very few exclusive games to show for it.

With Diablo V announced for 2029, this makes it one of the few games confirmed for a release past the window that the next generation of consoles will begin, so it’s important to see that platforms have not yet been named. It's possible that Microsoft and Sony could be potentially delaying them until after the hardware shortages have sorted themselves out.

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Although previous Diablo games were about averting disaster at the hands of the titular Lord of Terror, this new sequel will actually be about the world following his conquest.

“Diablo has conquered Sanctuary, a stepping stone to invading the Heavens,” reads a description from Blizzard. “Now from the throne of Westmarch, he wields Sanctuary's people and souls as weapons in the Eternal Conflict.

“Diablo is no longer a distant threat waiting at the end of the journey. He is present from the moment Diablo V begins, shaping the story, the world, and your path through it.”