Diablo V
Diablo Timeline: Every Game and Where Diablo 5 Fits
Diablo V (Diablo 5) will be the fifth main game in the series and is due in spring 2029, 33 years after the original Diablo. In the history of Sanctuary it is set about 100 years after Diablo IV and its expansion Lord of Hatred (as of October 19, 2026).
Every Diablo game by release
- 1996 Diablo The original, developed by Blizzard North. A hero descends beneath the cathedral of Tristram to face Diablo.
- 1997 Diablo: Hellfire Official expansion for the first game, not developed by Blizzard itself.
- 2000 Diablo II Five classes, four acts and the Rogue Encampment, which the Diablo V team names as the model for its caravan. →
- 2001 Diablo II: Lord of Destruction Expansion with Act V, two new classes and the runewords that Diablo V brings back. →
- 2012 Diablo III The debut of the Demon Hunter and the Monk, both of whom return in Diablo V. →
- 2014 Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Expansion with Act V in Westmarch, the city whose heir you play in Diablo V.
- 2021 Diablo II: Resurrected Remaster of Diablo II including Lord of Destruction, with new graphics.
- 2022 Diablo Immortal Spin-off for mobile devices and PC, set between Diablo II and Diablo III.
- 2023 Diablo IV The fourth main game: Lilith returns to Sanctuary.
- 2024 Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred First Diablo IV expansion, continuing the story of Mephisto.
- Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred Second Diablo IV expansion, concluding the fight against Mephisto. According to Blizzard, no further expansions are planned. Sources: Blizzard: Prepare for the Reckoning – Lord of Hatred Draws Near · PC Gamer: no more Diablo 4 expansions planned
- Diablo V announced Revealed at the BlizzCon 2026 opening ceremony, marking the series’ 30th anniversary. → Source: Blizzard: Diablo V Is Coming Spring 2029
- Diablo IV on Nintendo Switch 2 The Age of Hatred Collection brings Diablo IV and both expansions to Nintendo Switch 2. Source: Blizzard: BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremonies Recap
- 2027 planned The Amazon for Diablo IV The Amazon arrives in the first half of 2027 as a new class for Diablo IV, not for Diablo V. Source: Blizzard: BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremonies Recap
- 2029 planned Diablo V Release in spring 2029, no exact date yet. → Source: Blizzard: Diablo V Is Coming Spring 2029
Years refer to the first release. Later console and special editions are not listed separately.
The order within Sanctuary
| Game | When in the story | What it is about |
|---|---|---|
| Diablo | Starting point | Diablo awakens beneath Tristram and is defeated. |
| Diablo II and Lord of Destruction | Shortly after | The hero of Tristram roams the world as the Dark Wanderer, possessed by Diablo; in the end the Worldstone is destroyed. |
| Diablo Immortal | Between Diablo II and Diablo III | The struggle over the shards of the Worldstone. |
| Diablo III and Reaper of Souls | About 20 years after Diablo II | The Nephalem face Diablo and then Malthael, who descends on Westmarch. |
| Diablo IV and its expansions | About 50 years after Reaper of Souls | Lilith returns; Vessel of Hatred and Lord of Hatred see the story of Mephisto through to the end. |
| Diablo V | About 100 years after Lord of Hatred | Diablo has ruled the Western Continent for about seven years, and you are the Heir to Westmarch. |
Gaps are rounded. The Diablo V details come from the BlizzCon panel and developer interviews (as of October 19, 2026).
Sources: YouTube: Diablo V – Forging the Next Era Panel (BlizzCon 2026) · Windows Central: interview with the Diablo V team · Icy Veins: Diablo 4 keeps getting seasons
Where Diablo 5 fits
About a hundred years separate the finale of Lord of Hatred from the start of Diablo V. According to the developers, defeating Mephisto worked: Sanctuary went on to enjoy a golden age and was a better place than ever before. Only in the seven years before the game begins did Diablo overrun the Western Continent.
Narrative director Jennifer Hepler explains the big jump with Diablo IV in mind: the older game should keep enough room to tell its own story. The setting moves as well. Diablo IV took place in the East, while Diablo V returns to Westmarch, which now stretches across the whole West. Diablo IV game director Brent Gibson told Icy Veins that the Lord of Terror is also learning from the Lord of Hatred, and that the hundred years in between leave space for more stories.
The team says you will learn what happened in that time by exploring the game itself. The story page explains the premise, and the glossary lists the key names.
Sources: YouTube: Diablo V – Forging the Next Era Panel (BlizzCon 2026) · IGN: Diablo 5 is already in full production · Icy Veins: Diablo 4 keeps getting seasons · Esquire: Diablo V first look
Diablo 5 so far
- Announced at the BlizzCon 2026 opening ceremony with a spring 2029 release window Source: Blizzard: Diablo V Is Coming Spring 2029
- “Forging the Next Era” panel with the premise, three classes, the caravan and items → Source: Blizzard: Diablo V – Forging the Next Era
- First interviews: Diablo V is set about 100 years after Diablo IV Source: Windows Central: interview with the Diablo V team
- Joe Shely: planning and the right build matter more than reflexes → Source: X: Joe Shely on Sept 29, 2026
- First shoot for the cinematics → Source: X: Neil David Carter on Oct 14, 2026
- 2027 planned Regular developer updates planned Source: Blizzard: Diablo V – Forging the Next Era
- 2029 planned Release in spring → Source: Blizzard: Diablo V Is Coming Spring 2029
Every date around the launch is covered in detail on the release date page.
30 years of Diablo
The series turns 30 in 2026, and Blizzard kicked off the anniversary at BlizzCon with Diablo V. According to Blizzard, more than 130 million players have set foot in Sanctuary since 1996. The opening ceremony recap says Diablo has never had more content ahead of it than now.
Besides Diablo V, Blizzard used the anniversary to announce an animated series with Netflix. Diablo IV received Season of Hell’s Legacy on September 15, 2026, as a tribute to three decades of Diablo, and the Amazon follows in the first half of 2027. For the Diablo V team, the number 30 carries its own meaning: for three decades you held off the apocalypse, and this time the game starts after it. “You’ve spent the last 30 years fending off the apocalypse,” Jennifer Hepler told Esquire. The story page describes what that world looks like.
Sources: Blizzard: BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremonies Recap · Esquire: Diablo V first look
Frequently asked questions
In what order were the Diablo games released?
How many years after Diablo 4 is Diablo 5 set?
When was Lord of Hatred released?
Where does Diablo Immortal fit in the story?
Do I need to know the older games to understand Diablo 5?
How old is the Diablo series?
Read next
Sources for this page
We only use official information from Blizzard and verbatim statements by the developers. Anything not announced is listed as open.
- Blizzard: Prepare for the Reckoning – Lord of Hatred Draws Near
- PC Gamer: no more Diablo 4 expansions planned
- Blizzard: Diablo V Is Coming Spring 2029
- Blizzard: BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremonies Recap
- YouTube: Diablo V – Forging the Next Era Panel (BlizzCon 2026)
- Windows Central: interview with the Diablo V team
- Icy Veins: Diablo 4 keeps getting seasons
- IGN: Diablo 5 is already in full production
- Esquire: Diablo V first look
- Blizzard: Diablo V – Forging the Next Era
- X: Joe Shely on Sept 29, 2026
- X: Neil David Carter on Oct 14, 2026
As of October 19, 2026 · Images: Blizzard Entertainment (concept art, not final)
