Blizzard Reveals 10-Year Plan for Diablo Franchise—Next Expansion Coming in 2026

Blizzard Entertainment is playing the long game when it comes to Diablo. And we mean really long. In a recent interview at the DICE event, Rod Fergusson, General Manager of the Diablo franchise, revealed that the team has charted out a roadmap that spans the next 10 to 12 years. Yep, you read that right—Blizzard’s already looking more than a decade ahead.

“We're here for the long haul. We've been doing long-range planning recently. And I've created a roadmap—a 10-year roadmap... it was actually a 12-year [roadmap],” Fergusson shared with Gamefile journalist Stephen Totilo.

The comments came during a creative exchange initiated by Totilo, where Riot Games' Marc Merril asked Fergusson about the franchise’s future. While Fergusson didn’t dive into specifics, the message was clear: Diablo 4 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

No New Expansion Until 2026

In a move that surprised fans, Fergusson also confirmed that the next major expansion for Diablo IV won’t land until 2026. That’s a notable shift from the original annual release plan Fergusson told in the 2023 Dexerto interview.

The roadmap for Diablo IV in 2025 still includes plenty to keep players engaged, including seasonal content and two new IP collaborations. There's also speculation about a new character class dropping in 2026, which could shake things up in a big way.

"Now, our second expansion won’t be on that roadmap, because our second expansion is coming in 2026, but at least players will have the road ahead,” Fergusson told IGN.

And also this will be the first Diablo title to receive a second expansion—an important milestone, especially considering that plans for post-Reaper of Souls content in Diablo III were scrapped before launch.

Vessel of Hatred, the first expansion for Diablo IV, introduced the Spiritborn class and a new chapter in the saga. But not all feedback was glowing—many felt the narrative fell short, especially in its handling of Mephisto, a classic villain from the franchise. And let’s not forget, we’re entering year three of Diablo IV without a single appearance from Diablo himself—talk about a slow burn.

Still, Blizzard might be playing a longer, smarter narrative game. The team appears to be stretching Mephisto’s arc across multiple expansions, potentially setting up a deeper, more cohesive storyline down the line.

So buckle up, Nephalem—Sanctuary’s just getting started.