Definition
Diablo is an action role-playing game series by Blizzard centered on combat, character progression and loot: players pick a class, fight through randomized dungeons in real time, and keep collecting better weapons and armor. The series is set in the dark fantasy world of Sanctuary; the first game was developed by Blizzard North and released on January 3, 1997. Entry points to each title are listed on the official Blizzard games page.
Series and releases
The main entries are Diablo (January 1997), Diablo II (June 2000), Diablo III (May 15, 2012) and Diablo IV (June 5, 2023). The free-to-play Diablo Immortal, developed with NetEase, launched on June 2, 2022. Lord of Hatred, the second expansion for Diablo IV, was released on April 28, 2026.
Gameplay
The core loop combines real-time combat, randomized maps, class skill builds and loot drops: defeat enemies, pick up equipment with varied attributes, refine a build and take on stronger foes. Specific mechanics, seasons and modes for each title are documented on the official pages.
Related and confusable terms
“Diablo” refers to the whole series, of which Diablo IV is one entry. “Diablo-like” describes a gameplay genre borrowed from this kill-and-loot progression loop; it does not name a specific title in the series.
Discussed on Next Token
In episode 007, in the chapter “AI 游戏破圈：移植、网页游戏与上瘾机制” (Chinese transcript), 歸藏 compared the browser game PokéBonk to “a simpler Diablo” — characters attack and level up automatically instead of using manual skills (episode 007 transcript). The comparison is about the progression loop, not a discussion of any specific Diablo title; see the full chapter.
Frequently asked questions
Which Diablo game does this entry cover?
This entry covers the series as a whole. Episode 007 also uses Diablo as a gameplay comparison without limiting the reference to one title.
Is Diablo free to play?
The mainline titles are premium purchases; Diablo Immortal, developed with NetEase, is free to download with in-app purchases. Editions and pricing for each title are documented on the official Blizzard pages.
Why is PokéBonk compared to Diablo?
In episode 007, 歸藏 described PokéBonk’s auto-combat and leveling loop as “a simpler Diablo”. The comparison is about similar gameplay structure; the two games are unrelated.