As part of Diablo 4’s roadmap, Blizzard teased new IP collaborations coming in Season 8 and 10. For a franchise that’s focused again on its dark, gothic universe, the idea of bringing elements outside of the Blizzard franchise into the Diablo universe is a surprising move, but one with a lot of potential.
While details are still unknown, Game Director Brent Gibson did give a few hints at what might await us in an interview with Rhykker:
“We want to stay true to the brand and the dark identity [of Diablo]. The goal is to come out with a whole lot of new cosmetics that fit within the Diablo universe. A good example would be the World of Warcraft skins we already did, but we want to branch out more than that.”
Past Crossovers: A Quick History
While the Diablo franchise hasn’t traditionally been known for many crossovers, we have already seen some inside of the Blizzard universes.
World of Warcraft x Diablo
D4 most recently had a crossover featuring many heavy World of Warcraft-inspired transmogs, like the Lich King, Kael’Thas, or even Garrosh. Diablo Immortal also featured its own WoW crossover event, “Azeroth Unleashed”, which brought themed cosmetics and a special event into Sanctuary.
Diablo Immortal – Seasonal Themes & Events
Outside of the WoW events, Immortal also has also played around with looser seasonal themes that stretch the typical Diablo tone.
Overwatch
Overwatch 2 launched several Diablo-themed skins, including Demon Hunter Sombra, Barbarian Zarya, and Inarius Pharah. While none of them affected Diablo 4, it still shows that Blizzard is open to experiment.
It’s also well known for its IP crossovers in general, but the ones it featured are hardly fit for Diablo. Or maybe…
What Kind of Crossovers Could Fit Diablo?
Gibson emphasized how important it is to keep the “dark identity” of Diablo 4 when anything is being brought into Diablo 4. This most likely rules out any cartoonish style games, but it doesn’t mean all external inspirations are off the table.
Lets go a bit crazy with what could work:
Dark Souls / Elden Ring Inspired Cosmetics:
Gritty medieval armor, cursed blades and a dark lore would make a perfect example for what would fit into Sanctuary.
Castlevania:
A Belmont-inspired vampire hunter transmog? Or Dracula-themed armor? Sounds good to us!
The Witcher:
Who wouldn’t love to see a Geralt inspired transmog? Maybe even a Gwent-themed back trophy as a small gimmick.
Bloodborne:
Even though we already mentioned Dark Souls and Eldin Ring, we couldn’t skip Bloodborne. The Victorian theme would line up perfect with the aesthetics of Diablo 4’s dark theme.
Blizzard could also continue with more crossovers from their own IPs, perhaps some darker-themed Starcraft transmogs and pets, or more World of Warcraft armor that lean into the Horde vs Alliance style.
How Will Crossovers Work in Diablo 4?
For now, all signs point to them being purely cosmetic, likely tied to the new Reliquary (Battle Pass 2.0), seasonal bundles, or limited shop rotations. Blizzard has been careful to avoid any impact on gameplay, and there’s no reason so far to think that will change.
Still, if done right, these collabs could add some variety to player appearances, without breaking any immersion. Maybe they are going to surprise us and will add some small in-game events instead of purely cosmetics.
Final Thoughts
While IP crossovers in Diablo 4 may not have been the most expected feature teased on the roadmap, they could surprise players with some welcoming fresh variety, loosening up the normal gameplay loop of the season.
Which crossovers would you like to see? And should Diablo 4 stay true to its dark visual identity at all costs?
