Diablo 2 Archives

AppWizard

September 24, 2026

The Industrial Revolution is the reason RPGs have area-of-effect spells: A PC Gamer Causality Chain™

Causality Chain is a series at PC Gamer that explores the connections between history, culture, and video games. The concept of area-of-effect spells in video games began to develop in the 1980s, with the Wizardry series introducing spells that could target multiple enemies. Ultima 3 featured a noxum spell that allowed for multiple fireballs aimed at different foes, and by 1985, Ultima 4 included a tremor spell affecting all adversaries on screen. Wizard's Crown, released in 1986, showcased a fireball affecting surrounding enemies, and Ultima 5 added cone-shaped spells in 1988. That same year, SSI acquired the license to create official D&D games, leading to the release of Pool of Radiance, which introduced a true area-of-effect fireball spell that could harm party members.

AppWizard

September 13, 2026

Diablo 5 gameplay details from BlizzCon: More classes than ever before, procedurally-generated dungeons, and Diablo 2-style loot

At BlizzCon 2026, it was announced that Diablo 5 will be set a century after Diablo 4, exploring the aftermath of the demon's impact on Sanctuary. The game is projected for release in spring 2029 and aims to address player feedback from Diablo 4. The narrative will feature Diablo as a central character rather than just a final boss, and players will work to restore Westmarch. Key features include procedurally-generated dungeons, a caravan of NPCs instead of traditional towns, returning classes like the demon hunter and monk, and new classes such as the plague knight. The game will launch with more classes than any previous installment, and items will have a tiered system and occupy multiple inventory slots. Blizzard plans to provide regular updates on the game's development starting next year.

AppWizard

August 9, 2026

Minecraft has been transformed into a full ARPG, with endgame maps and bosses inspired by Path of Exile 2

Craft to Exile 2 is a mod for Minecraft that transforms the game into an action RPG, drawing inspiration from titles like Path of Exile and Diablo 2. It features an overhauled combat system with classes, talent trees, a randomized gear system, and dodge rolls. Players can choose a class, earn stats and skills, and specialize through an 'ascendancy' system. The mod includes over 250 quests, dungeons, shops, and a comprehensive endgame with a mapping system and repeatable dungeons. The 2.0 update introduces new classes, mechanics, and interface enhancements, including Uber bosses, Shrines for temporary buffs, Strongboxes for loot, and new crafting materials. The update is available for download.

AppWizard

July 30, 2026

The next game on GOG’s preservation list would be your favourite ARPG if it hadn’t released the same year as Diablo 2, and it’s on sale now

NOX, an action role-playing game released by Westwood in 2000, is being revived as it has secured a spot in GOG's Preservation Program following a recent patron poll. GOG will provide ongoing support and enhancements for the game, which is currently available on GOG for a limited-time price of .39. Owners of the game will receive updates free of charge.

AppWizard

July 12, 2026

2026’s best RPG might look like Disco Elysium, but it was heavily inspired by Deus Ex, and its creator wants ‘to do a first-person game at some point’

Christoffer Bodegård began his journey into PC gaming with a DOS machine from his father and first played Disney's The Jungle Book. His passion for role-playing games was ignited by Dragon Age: Origins, which led him to explore many titles, including Planescape: Torment. After eight years of development, his game Esoteric Ebb launched in March to critical acclaim. Currently, he is playing Victoria 3, having logged around 400 hours, and previously played Abiotic Factor. The oldest games on his PC are Heroes of Might and Magic 3, King of Dragon Pass, Deus Ex, and Diablo 2, with Heroes 3 being a favorite. He has logged around 1,000 hours in Esoteric Ebb and is particularly fond of Europa Universalis IV, especially the Anbennar mod. Bodegård has never uninstalled Deus Ex, which greatly influences his design philosophy. He relies on Notepad++ for scripting and has improved his desktop organization from a cluttered state to a cleaner setup.

AppWizard

June 27, 2026

A series of surprise updates has polished Path of Exile 2 into a juggernaut that’s about to shake up the action RPG genre later this year

Grinding Gear Games has announced that the latest expansion for Path of Exile 2 will be the final update before the game exits early access later this year. A new skill tree for a side activity and a comprehensive upgrade to Unique items have been introduced, enhancing gameplay and strategies. PoE 2 combines elements from soulslike games and hack-and-slash titles, maintaining a challenging experience throughout its campaign. The game encourages mastery of its mechanics, with hidden features rewarding exploration. The recent update, Return of the Ancients, allows max-level players to sacrifice their characters for others and includes a quest for a powerful wand. New tutorials have been added to assist players in navigating the endgame loop. The ongoing updates reflect a commitment to refining and enhancing the game, setting a new standard for the action RPG genre.

AppWizard

May 23, 2026

Diablo 2 players made nearly 2 million warlocks in a single month

Diablo's latest installment has become Blizzard's fastest-selling game, while millions of players continue to engage with Diablo 3 and Diablo II, which remains active 26 years after its release. The resurgence of interest in Diablo II is linked to the introduction of a new class, the warlock, leading to the creation of 1.92 million warlocks between February 11 and March 11, and players collectively spending 93.4 million hours on the game. Blizzard is committed to maintaining its legacy games and supports multiple iterations of the same game concurrently.

AppWizard

May 13, 2026

Path of Exile 2’s new boss-taming summoner class breaks ARPG minions like never before

The Path of Exile 2 Return of the Ancients update is set to launch on May 29, introducing significant changes, including a redesign of the endgame and a crafting overhaul. Two new Ascendancies will be added: the Martial Artist Monk and the Spirit Walker Huntress. The Spirit Walker Ascendancy allows players to control powerful beast bosses and features three branches: Vivid, Primal, and Wild. The Vivid Path summons stag spirits, the Primal Path enhances projectile skills, and the Wild Path provides a spirit bear companion that boosts minion damage and life. The Idolatry path expands minion build options. The Natural Order feature allows the Tame Beast skill to work on unique beasts, starting with early-game adversaries and escalating to tougher foes. Game director Mark Roberts showcased a "zookeeper build" that utilizes the unique scepter Sylvan's Effigy, which removes companion limits. Companion damage has been buffed, and new features include a raven flock and a cluster grenade launcher called Redemption.

AppWizard

May 6, 2026

Even Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred’s blue items are selling for billions, thanks to Horadric Cube crafting

The latest update to Diablo 4, titled Lord of Hatred, introduces the Horadric Cube as a significant crafting tool, enhancing gameplay mechanics and altering the trading ecosystem. Blue-rarity magic items, previously considered salvage, can now be valuable for crafting, with max-level blue items selling for tens of billions of gold and rare items with desirable affixes approaching 100 billion. The crafting process allows players to customize items to fit their builds, increasing the value of lower-rarity items and encouraging exploration of trading opportunities. The satisfaction from crafting is noted to surpass that of simply purchasing items.

AppWizard

April 29, 2026

“Lord of Hatred is the best Diablo 4 has ever been,” Blizzard says

Diablo 4 has faced challenges in maintaining momentum due to competition from titles like Last Epoch and Path of Exile 2, which offer more compelling endgame experiences. The third expansion, Lord of Hatred, aims to shift this narrative by concluding the Mephisto saga and introducing enhancements such as the Talisman and Horadric Cube for player customization. The expansion received an 8/10 rating, which is lower than its predecessor, Vessel of Hatred, due to fewer groundbreaking features. Associate Game Designer Zaven Haroutunian and Associate Director of Game Design Colin Finer stated that they believe Lord of Hatred represents the peak of Diablo 4, describing it as the ultimate expression of the game. The expansion includes streamlined endgame experiences and features like a map overlay and loot filter for better navigation and item highlighting.