At the DICE Summit 2025, Rod Fergusson, the general manager of the Diablo series, opened his keynote with a candid reflection on one of the franchise's most notorious setbacks: Error 37. This error, which plagued the launch of Diablo 3, prevented countless players from accessing the game due to overwhelming server demand. The issue sparked significant backlash and even became a meme, but Blizzard eventually resolved it, steering Diablo 3 towards success over time. Fergusson emphasized the importance of learning from such failures, especially as Diablo evolves into a more intricate live service model with Diablo 4. The stakes are high, as a repeat of Error 37 could be devastating for the game's ongoing live service aspirations.
Diablo, Immortal
Following his talk titled "Evolving Sanctuary: Building a Resilient Live-Service Game in Diablo IV," I had the chance to speak with Fergusson at the summit in Las Vegas. He highlighted four critical areas for ensuring Diablo 4's resilience: scaling the game effectively, maintaining a steady stream of content, embracing design flexibility, and keeping players informed about future updates, even at the cost of some surprises.
Fergusson's vision for Diablo 4 is clear: to keep players engaged for the long term through a robust content roadmap and season planning. This approach marks a significant departure from the traditional model of the series, which relied on periodic major releases. Instead, Diablo 4 aims to follow the live service trend, ensuring constant evolution and engagement.
When asked about the longevity of Diablo 4—whether it could be considered "immortal" like Blizzard's World of Warcraft—Fergusson responded thoughtfully. He aims for the game to last for years, though he's cautious about labeling it as eternal. He referenced Destiny's initial ten-year plan, which didn't fully materialize, and emphasized the importance of respecting players' time and commitment to the game.
Fergusson also shared insights into the development timeline of Diablo 4's expansions. The second expansion, Vessel of Hatred, was delayed from its original one-year plan to 18 months due to the need to prioritize immediate game updates at launch and during the first season. He's learned not to set rigid timelines too early, preferring to keep players informed about the near future without committing to specific dates.
Ruining the Surprise…on Purpose
Transparency is key for Fergusson and his team. They plan to reveal a content roadmap in April and continue using the Public Test Realm (PTR) for players to test upcoming patches. Initially, the team was hesitant about spoiling surprises, but Fergusson now believes it's better to "ruin the surprise for 10,000 people so that millions of people have a great season." Even if the PTR feedback is negative, it's preferable to a disastrous surprise launch that could take months to fix.
Fergusson also discussed the challenges of expanding the PTR to consoles, currently limited to PC due to certification issues. However, with the support of parent company Xbox, Blizzard is working on this. He highlighted the benefits of having Diablo 4 on Game Pass, which lowers the entry barrier and attracts more players, similar to the game's release on Steam.
All Hours Diablo
In our conversation, Fergusson shared his personal gaming habits, reflecting his deep connection to Diablo. Despite playing other games like NHL 24 and Destiny 2, Diablo 4 remains his top-played game of 2024, with 650 hours on his home account alone. He enjoys playing as a Companion Druid and a Dance of Knives Rogue, illustrating his passion for the game that brought him to Blizzard five years ago.
Fergusson's dedication to Diablo is evident not only in his professional role but also in his personal gaming life. His insights into the future of Diablo 4 and the live service model underscore Blizzard's commitment to creating a lasting and engaging experience for players.
