GameTimeline

Release & story order

Diablo timeline

Diablo from the 1996 cathedral crawl through Diablo II, Lord of Destruction, Diablo III, Reaper of Souls, and Diablo IV (2023)—US release dates, Sanctuary story chronology, Resurrected remasters, and FAQ for Diablo Immortal and skip guides.

Updated August 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When Blizzard shipped each chapter—Diablo (1996), Diablo II and Lord of Destruction (2000–2001), Diablo III and Reaper of Souls (2012–2014), then Diablo IV (2023). Diablo Immortal (2022) and Diablo II: Resurrected / Eternal Collection bundles are optional—not extra mainline release-order titles beyond listed expansions.

  • Newcomers → Diablo IV alone, or full saga from Diablo II: Resurrected
  • Classic path → Diablo → D2 + LoD → D3 + RoS → Diablo IV
  • Skip Diablo 1 only if you accept lost Tristram context—D2 still works
  • Diablo Immortal optional—mobile/PC live service between D2 and D3
Story order tips

Sanctuary saga in fiction: Diablo → Diablo II → Lord of Destruction → Diablo III → Reaper of Souls → Diablo IV. Release and story order match for the main numbered arc. Diablo Immortal fills gaps between D2 and D3—optional live-service chapter in FAQ.

  • Core canon: Diablo → Diablo II → Lord of Destruction → Diablo III → Reaper of Souls → Diablo IV
  • Lord of Destruction is required D2 story—play before Diablo III
  • Reaper of Souls fixes D3 ending—play before Diablo IV for continuity
  • On Story order, later entries may be hidden—reveal when ready or use Show all spoilers

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Diablo

    Diablo

    PCAction RPGMainline

    Diablo (1996) traps three heroes beneath Tristram's cathedral—Blizzard North's isometric horror ARPG that coined the click-loot loop. Release tab year here is 1996.

    Overview
    Random dungeons, hotkey spells, and gothic audio defined PC action-RPG grammar later echoed across the genre.
    In-game setting
    Sanctuary saga origin—Diablo's soulstone plot. Short campaign; lore purists still start here before Diablo II.
    Should you play it?
    Story and Release opener. Skip only if jumping straight to Diablo II with a lore primer. Tone cousins: Doom.
    Release date
    US PC December 31, 1996; later Battle.net/GOG reissues.
  2. Diablo II

    Diablo II

    PCMacAction RPGMainline

    Diablo II expands Sanctuary across Acts—chase the Prime Evils through deserts, jungles, and Hell in the genre's long benchmark. Release tab year here is 2000.

    Overview
    Act hubs, hirelings, skills trees, and trade culture that dominated PC ARPGs for decades.
    In-game setting
    Continues after Diablo. Incomplete without Lord of Destruction—buy/play the expansion.
    Should you play it?
    Many fans' favorite chapter. Pair with LoD before Diablo III. Pair Diablo II with startHere guidance before optional side titles.
    Release date
    US June 29, 2000; Diablo II: Resurrected (2021) is the modern way in—FAQ. Platforms called out for this beat: PC, Mac.
  3. Diablo II: Lord of Destruction

    Diablo II: Lord of Destruction

    PCMacExpansionMainline

    Diablo II: Lord of Destruction adds Act V, Harrogath, and Ba'al's siege—plus Assassin and Druid classes. Release tab year here is 2001.

    Overview
    Rune words, mercenary overhaul, and the Worldstone climax that sets up later games. Sequel debates still measure new games against what Diablo II: Lord of Destruction established.
    In-game setting
    Mandatory D2 finale before Diablo III. Bundled in Resurrected/Battle Chest packs.
    Should you play it?
    Never skip on story order—base Diablo II alone leaves Ba'al unresolved. Pair Diablo II: Lord of Destruction with startHere guidance before optional side titles.
    Release date
    US June 27, 2001 (PC/Mac). Platforms called out for this beat: PC, Mac.
  4. Diablo III

    Diablo III

    PCMacPS3Xbox 360Action RPGMainline

    Diablo III jumps ~twenty years—Leah, Adria, and the falling star reopen Heaven vs Hell war. Release tab year here is 2012.

    Overview
    Always-online launch era, rune skills, and later Adventure Mode via Reaper of Souls. Sequel debates still measure new games against what Diablo III established.
    In-game setting
    Post-Worldstone fiction. Campaign ending was revised by RoS—play the expansion.
    Should you play it?
    Treat base+RoS as one story block before Diablo IV. Pair Diablo III with startHere guidance before optional side titles.
    Release date
    US May 15, 2012; consoles and Eternal Collection followed. Platforms called out for this beat: PC, Mac, PS3, Xbox 360.
  5. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

    Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

    PCMacPS4Xbox OneExpansionMainline

    Reaper of Souls sends Malthael against Westmarch—Crusader class, loot 2.0, and the Pandemonium finale. Release tab year here is 2014.

    Overview
    Expansion that repaired Diablo III's endgame and locked the canonical closing act. Sequel debates still measure new games against what Diablo III: Reaper of Souls established.
    In-game setting
    Required bridge into Diablo IV's Lilith era. Included in Ultimate/Eternal editions.
    Should you play it?
    Do not jump from base D3 campaign straight to IV without RoS. Pair Diablo III: Reaper of Souls with startHere guidance before optional side titles.
    Release date
    US March 25, 2014. Platforms called out for this beat: PC, Mac, PS4, Xbox One.
  6. Diablo IV

    Diablo IV

    PCPS4PS5Xbox OneXbox Series X|SAction RPGMainline

    Diablo IV returns to shared gothic Sanctuary—Lilith, open zones, and seasonal live-service on top of a campaign. Release tab year here is 2023.

    Overview
    Seamless world, mounts, and class fantasy tuned for cross-play modern platforms.
    In-game setting
    Current mainline endpoint as of 2026. Seasonal epilogues stay FAQ-level detail.
    Should you play it?
    Play after RoS for continuity. Dark fantasy neighbors: Elder Scrolls, Witcher. Pair Diablo IV with startHere guidance before optional side titles.
    Release date
    US June 6, 2023 (PC/console); Steam timing FAQ. Platforms called out for this beat: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S.

FAQ

Release vs story order, expansion placement, Immortal, Resurrected remasters, and where to start.

Release order

For the numbered Sanctuary saga, release and story order align: Diablo (1996) → Diablo II (2000) → Lord of Destruction (2001) → Diablo III (2012) → Reaper of Souls (2014) → Diablo IV (2023). Expansions LoD and RoS are mainline entries—not optional side content. Diablo Immortal (2022) is optional—parallel online chapter between D2 and D3.

Quick entry: Diablo IV standalone—dark ARPG on modern platforms. Full saga: Diablo → Diablo II: Resurrected (includes LoD) → Diablo III Eternal Collection (includes RoS) → Diablo IV. Skip Diablo 1 only if you accept missing Tristram origin. Avoid Immortal unless you want mobile-style live service lore.

Story & lore

Lord of Destruction is Diablo II's Act V finale—play immediately after D2 Acts I–IV before Diablo III. Reaper of Souls is Diablo III's true ending—play after the base D3 campaign before Diablo IV. Both are Release and story-order titles here—not optional DLC trivia.

Remasters & editions

Diablo II: Resurrected (2021) remasters D2 + Lord of Destruction visuals—same story, optional bundle (not a separate release-order title). Diablo III Eternal Collection bundles Reaper of Souls. Original 2000/2012 releases remain valid for release-history purists.

Optional & online

Diablo Immortal (June 2022) is a free-to-play online ARPG set between Diablo II and Diablo III—optional, not a mainline release-order title. It fills lore gaps with side characters but requires grinding and microtransactions. Skip for canon playthroughs; play only if you want that era's side stories.

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.