Diablo 5 is still a long way from release, but the debate about how it will actually play is already in full swing. Game Director Joe Shely has now added fuel to it with a short but telling statement about the direction the team is taking: the new Diablo should reward thinking and preparation more than split-second reactions.
What Shely actually said
In a post on X, Shely wrote that while Diablo 5 will still include some DEX mechanics – meaning moment-to-moment execution – the game will on balance be an INT/STR game, which he defines as planning and investment. He added that the team is designing around what he calls a core tenet of ARPGs: any challenge can be overcome with the right build.
The post appears to be a reaction to a video about Diablo 5 released by Path of Exile’s Chris Wilson. Shely’s framing is unusually direct for this stage of development, because it tells you what the design priority is before a single gameplay demo has been widely dissected.
Why this matters for you
If Shely’s words hold up, the practical difference is in where your success comes from. Instead of clearing content primarily through fast, precise execution, the emphasis would sit on how you assemble gear, skills and stats before you ever enter the fight. That’s the kind of design players associate with Diablo 2 – and Blizzard has been invoking Diablo 2 since it first showed Diablo 5 at BlizzCon.
Plenty of the discussion around that reveal has centered on how far the team would need to move away from the itemization and design philosophy of the most recent Diablo games to deliver on that promise. Shely’s statement suggests that’s exactly the direction they’re aiming for. We’ve covered what the shift could mean for the series in our piece on the post-apocalyptic Sanctuary.
The community isn’t convinced
Reaction has been split. On Reddit, the most upvoted comment was a blunt “they said all this before,” with a reply arguing that every modern ARPG promises a slower pace and none of them stay slow, because once the game ships most players want to blast. Another user predicted that Blizzard will restructure everything as soon as the first wave of complaints about slow clears arrives.
On X the mood was friendlier. One reply welcomed the news as a chance to try the opposite direction from what Diablo 3 and Diablo 4 were going for, and to go all in on itemization depth and skill systems instead.
What happens to Diablo IV
Importantly, none of this means you have to pick a side. Blizzard has said it will keep adding seasons to Diablo IV even after Diablo 5 arrives, so the current, faster style of play isn’t going anywhere. If you haven’t played the current entry yet, it has its own page on Steam, and the latest season is already running – we wrote about Season 15 when it went live.
For everything else around the series, including patch notes and seasonal news, check our Diablo IV coverage.
FAQ
He said that while Diablo 5 will still feature some DEX mechanics tied to moment-to-moment execution, on balance it will be an INT/STR game built around planning and investment.
Shely talks about a stronger focus on preparation and builds rather than pure execution. He also said the team is designing so that any challenge can be overcome with the right build. Exactly how that feels in practice isn’t known yet.
Blizzard referenced Diablo 2 when it first showed Diablo 5 at BlizzCon, which sparked a long discussion about how far the team would have to move away from the design of the most recent games.
No. Blizzard has confirmed that Diablo IV will continue to receive new seasons even after Diablo 5 is out.
No date has been given. The game is still a couple of years away.