Diablo 4 goes gold ahead of June launch
Blizzard is basically saying there won't be any more Diablo 4 delays
Diablo 4 has gone gold, fully clearing the path for its imminent launch.
Blizzard announced the good news on Twitter, adding: "See you in sanctuary. 6.6.23." (If only it were coming out in 2066).
This means pre-launch development on Diablo 4 is done and that Blizzard has deemed the game ready to ship on June 6. Why does it matter? Well, in a time when game delays have become the norm instead of the exception, the "gold" status is essentially an assurance that a game most likely won't be pushed back any further, barring any extraordinary or unforeseen circumstances.
#DiabloIV has Gone Gold. Can you feel her presence now?See you in Sanctuary. 6.6.23 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OGX8oACUCrApril 17, 2023
"Going gold is a landmark milestone for the incredible Diablo IV team, who have all worked so hard crafting the next-generation installment of this iconic franchise. This is a concrete, meaningful step toward our June 6 launch" said franchise boss Rod Fergusson. "Whether players are veterans of the franchise or jumping in for the first time, we can't wait for everyone to experience the full game: taking part in the incredible storytelling, experimenting with character classes and builds, and exploring what the endgame and the dark world of Sanctuary has to offer."
Diablo 4 was already delayed once from 2022 to 2023, and in December a report from The Washington Post suggested the developers were struggling to meet the now all-but-solidified June release date. Nevertheless, two beta weekends later, it appears the devs managed to pull it off with less than two months to launch.
Just last week, Blizzard released a comprehensive list of changes coming to Diablo 4 based on feedback it had received after the two betas, and a lot of it's pretty substantial. All five of the game's classes have been reworked, dungeons received tweaks to be less tedious, some bosses have been updated, and there's a load of UI and quality of life changes in store.
Here are some games like Diablo to play while you wait for June 6.
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After scoring a degree in English from ASU, I worked as a copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. Now, as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer, I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my apartment, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.