Diablo 2, one of the most recognized and timeless ARPGs ever, turned 25 years old on June 8, 2025. To celebrate the occasion, the official Diablo account on X posted a cryptic message that got a lot of fans excited.
“If you think you’ve seen and done it all, just wait for the chaos we’ve yet to unleash,” read the teaser, which spawned a whole lot of feedback as heroes of Sanctuary argued over what the “chaos” could possibly be.
New runewords? A new playable hero? New Horadric cube recipes? An entirely new act? It didn’t take long for my imagination to take off as I dreamed about another 25 years of support for one of my favorite games.
We now have an answer to what’s been going on behind the scenes with Diablo 2, and it’s probably not what you were expecting.
Diablo 2: Resurrected is launching in China … is that the big news?
On August 2, at the ChinaJoy 2025 entertainment expo, Blizzard’s Diablo team took to the stage alongside major game publisher NetEase to unveil a new Diablo 2: Resurrected version for the Chinese market.
Blizzard President Johanna Faries announced the upcoming launch on LinkedIn, sharing with it a teaser trailer for the Chinese market. In the same post, Faries also noted that Diablo 4 is expected to launch “soon” in China.
I won’t fault you for wondering why a market as big as China has had to wait so long for the launch of Diablo 2: Resurrected.
👉 Related: Beginner’s guide to Diablo 2 classes and abilities
From what I can tell, it has to do with China’s different censorship rules and restrictions regarding content that is found everywhere in Diablo 2. I’m talking mostly about gore, blood, and similar themes.
There’s also the point that to publish a game in China, it must be done via a Chinese publisher. That’s where NetEase comes in to take over for Blizzard, which surely took some negotiating.
It’s clear, then, that the Chinese version of Diablo 2: Resurrected isn’t going to be the same as the rest of the world has been playing since the remaster launched in 2021.
This modified version isn’t expected to be playable with the standard version of Diablo 2: Resurrected, so don’t expect a massive influx of Chinese players on the existing multiplayer realms.
What’s different in China’s version of Diablo 2: Resurrected?
The Diablo 2: Resurrected version that’s launching in China is, unsurprisingly, geared toward the Chinese market that NetEase knows so well.
Hate pay-to-win mechanics in your games? China doesn’t, and that’s clear from the tiered launch packages that are available to buy.
The standard pack that sells for 168 Yuan (about $23 USD) contains Diablo 2: Resurrected, as well as a 30% boost to experience and magic find for 30 days.
Next is the deluxe pack that sells for 278 Yuan (about $40 USD). It has the same 30-day boosts to experience and magic find, plus it adds 9 middling items — including two Rainbow Facets — and a handful of low runes.
The ultimate pack sells for 458 Yuan (about $63 USD) and naturally has the most content, including a completely new set called “Glory of the Warlord.” The new set is made up of a helmet, chest, gloves, belt, and boots; when assembled, it adds a level 10 Meditation aura, +1 to all skills, 15% life leech, and some extra protection stats.
You also get a couple more Rainbow Facets and a boost to 90 days for the 30% experience and magic find gains.
As someone who has played Diablo 2 since it launched 25 years ago, these pay-to-win additions aren’t that impressive. The new set is best for early-to-mid-game play, and the other junk that’s thrown in can generally be amassed in a day or two of regular play.
It’s not impossible for Blizzard to add more stash tabs; it’s just not on the to-do list
The biggest bit of news for most longtime Diablo 2 players is that those who pre-order will also receive an extra free stash tab on top of the extra tabs that were introduced in the remaster. Players will also be able to buy up to three more stash tabs; that’s four more in total compared to what the rest of us have.
Considering this is a feature that most Diablo 2 players have been asking for since the remake launched, the extra stash tabs for a host of new Chinese players kind of stings. It’s not impossible for Blizzard to add more stash tabs; it’s just not on the to-do list, at least for everyone else.
I hate to see Diablo 2 enjoyers pay for something that we’ve all been asking for since the remake launched — and something that any of the amazing Diablo 2 mods implement for free.
What does this mean for Diablo 2: Resurrected everywhere else?
While the news of Diablo 2: Resurrected launching in China ultimately doesn’t mean much for everyone else playing outside of China, the fact that the game still has developers working on it can be seen as good news, even if this does seem like a typical out-of-touch Blizzard move.
Just a couple of months ago, I wrote about my feelings regarding another new season of Diablo 2: Resurrected without any changes, and I noted that it felt like Blizzard had abandoned the game. I urged Blizzard to open up the game for multiplayer modding in an attempt to keep it relevant in the long run.
Then came the 25th anniversary teaser at the end of June, promising chaos that had yet to be unleashed. If I’m placing bets, I don’t think the Chinese launch of Diablo 2: Resurrected is what that teaser post was referring to, but I could be wrong.
I have no proof either way; I’m simply hoping that this news of Diablo 2: Resurrected arriving in China is the start of much more intriguing rumblings about the future of the game for all players around the world.
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