Is Diablo 4 an MMO? A lot of debate has been thrown around ever since the suite of Diablo 4 features was unveiled years ago about just what type of genre it is and whether or not it stays true to what fans love about the franchise. After all, this new game sees a lot of expanded multiplayer systems, putting the idea of a Diablo 4 MMO at the top of player’s minds.
But, just how deep does the game dive into new MMO-like territory, or is Blizzard just dipping their toes in the water and expanding the social systems in the series, rather than making the genre jump with Diablo 4? Below, we run through just what Blizzard is up to with the game and if Diablo 4 sticks closer to its RPG roots or not.
Is Diablo 4 an MMO?
Diablo 4 is not technically considered an MMO. But the game is delving deeper into the genre than ever before with its shared open world, world events you can take on with other players, and co-op and PvP systems that blend seamlessly into the world.
The vast variety of Diablo 4 multiplayer options as you explore the Diablo 4 map really gives the game an MMO-lite feel in a way Diablo has never done before, especially with the group team-ups needed to complete world events, Diablo 4 world bosses or even defeat the Diablo 4 bosses in co-op. In addition to this, there are a good amount of customisation options and monetisation in the game, which is reminiscent of an MMO.
However, Diablo 4 is still a top-down RPG at its heart and these aspects bring the game into the modern spotlight in a way that the series has never been able to do before, given how long it has been since Diablo 3.
So, while Diablo 4 certainly has many aspects of an MMO, it isn’t a pure entry in the genre and more realistically straddles the line between the MMO and RPG genres.
Now you know if Diablo 4 is an MMO, why not take a look at some other top games in the RPG genres that stick closer to the traditional format? You can find some suggestions in our list of the best Xbox RPGs and best PS5 RPGs available currently.