Diablo IV, the latest iteration in the highly acclaimed action RPG series by Blizzard Entertainment, transports players back to the infamous world of Sanctuary. However, the game isn’t set immediately after its predecessor, Diablo III.
Below, we’ll discuss and detail exactly how many years have passed between Diablo III and Diablo IV so you know a bit more about the lore around this game.
How Many Years After Diablo 3 Is Diablo 4?
Diablo IV unfolds a full half-century after the events of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, positioning players in a very different context and timeframe.
In the world of Diablo, 50 years is a significant amount of time, and it is long enough to bring about significant changes and new challenges. This expanded timeframe allows for a fresh storyline and new character developments that maintain ties to the earlier games while also pushing the series in new directions.
Diablo IV takes place in a world where the forces of angels and demons have been substantially depleted, offering a unique setting for the narrative.
This depletion occurred over the course of the earlier Diablo games, culminating in the events of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls. In the wake of this power vacuum, a dangerous entity sees an opportunity: Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto and the main antagonist of Diablo IV, is summoned back into Sanctuary by cultists.
Lilith isn’t a new character in Diablo lore, but her central role in Diablo IV is a first.
Her backstory interweaves deeply with the history of Sanctuary itself. Along with the angel Inarius, Lilith is credited with creating Sanctuary as a haven for those weary of the eternal conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells.
The union of Lilith, a demon, and Inarius, an angel, led to the birth of a powerful new race known as the Nephalem, neither angel nor demon but a unique amalgamation of both. The protagonist in Diablo IV falls under this race.
The presence of the Nephalem, however, posed a perceived threat to Sanctuary’s inhabitants, which led to talks of annihilating them. In an effort to protect her offspring, Lilith eradicated those who opposed her, causing Inarius to banish her to the void.
With Diablo IV, Lilith returns from her exile, stepping into a Sanctuary significantly changed by the passage of time and the events of the previous games. This setup promises a deep and engaging narrative that both respects and builds upon the established lore of the Diablo franchise.
In summary, Diablo IV is set 50 years after the events of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls in a Sanctuary where power structures have shifted and old threats have re-emerged. With new challenges and adversaries, the stage is set for an epic new chapter in the Diablo saga.
