How Diablo 5 Fixes Diablo 4’s Open-World Mistakes With Procedural Generation

During a group Q&A session covered by Polygon, Diablo 5 game director Joe Shely and executive producer Matt Zitterman explained that the upcoming action RPG will return to randomized outdoor environments. This approach mirrors Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, which utilized procedural generation to connect outdoor areas and dungeons. By contrast, Diablo 4 featured a mostly static open world tailored for online play, a design choice that drew criticism from the community. According to Matt Zitterman, the static map of Diablo 4 limited the long-term exploration experience. Players had so much fun in Diablo 4 unfurling the fog of war…That was an experience that was kind of one and done, right? But players want that. They want that sense of constant discovery, Zitterman stated, as reported by Polygon. He added that the team wanted to provide a constant sense of exploration across the eastern continent. To support the randomly generated world, Diablo 5 will include an overlay map feature from day one. Diablo 4 notably launched without an overlay map, relying entirely on a mini-map and a static in-game menu before addressing the issue later in its lifecycle. Game director Joe Shely confirmed during the panel that an overlay is essential for navigating a randomized world where a standard mini-map is insufficient.

Setting, Base of Operations, and Procedural Tiles in Diablo 5

In the narrative setting of Diablo 5, the western continent has fallen under the complete control of Diablo. Because the region is overrun, players will not find traditional, thriving towns that can be restored by defeating nearby enemies. Instead, a caravan will act as the primary base of operations for the player and their allies.

When venturing out on quests, both the overworld and dungeons generate dynamically using individual tiles. These tiles feature varying visual designs, monster placements, and treasure chest locations. Environmental states can also shift depending on regional control. You might encounter a ruined church, and that ruined church can be represented in different ways depending on the state of the region when you’re there, Joe Shely explained to Polygon, illustrating how the tile system adapts to the presence of Diablo’s Dread Commanders.

Addressing Repetitiveness in Procedural Design

Recent procedurally generated games, such as Starfield, have faced criticism from players regarding repetitive visuals and content. When Polygon asked how Blizzard plans to prevent similar issues in Diablo 5, the developers expressed confidence in their approach.

Well, we’re going to build a lot of content, Joe Shely stated, according to Polygon. He emphasized the importance of striking a design balance. Part of it is creating a balance between having an area of the world have some identity so that you have something that makes it like a place, but also have elements that can be different. So there’s a balance between those two things that creates that [experience], Shely said.