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 June 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 FAQ-only—not extra mainline Release rows 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

    Tristram cathedral—three heroes vs the Lord of Terror.

    Overview
    Blizzard North's roguelike ARPG—random dungeons, click combat, and horror tone that defined the genre.
    In-game setting
    Story origin: Diablo's soulstone plot begins beneath Tristram.
    Should you play it?
    Short by modern standards—still worth playing for lore purists.
    Release date
    US PC launch December 31, 1996. Available via Battle.net and GOG re-releases—FAQ.
  2. Diablo II

    Diablo II

    PCMacAction RPGMainline

    Seven Acts across Sanctuary—Ba'al and the Prime Evils.

    Overview
    Act structure, runewords, and class build depth—genre benchmark for decades.
    In-game setting
    Story continues from Diablo—multiple evils across deserts, jungles, and Hell.
    Should you play it?
    Many fans' favorite—play with Lord of Destruction expansion.
    Release date
    US launch June 29, 2000. Diablo II: Resurrected (2021) remaster—FAQ.
  3. Diablo II: Lord of Destruction

    Diablo II: Lord of Destruction

    PCMacExpansionMainline

    Ba'al in Harrogath—fifth Act and two new classes.

    Overview
    Essential expansion—Act V, rune word meta, and Ba'al's siege conclude D2 fiction.
    In-game setting
    Story mandatory before Diablo III—Worldstone aftermath setup.
    Should you play it?
    Never skip on story order—base D2 alone is incomplete.
    Release date
    US launch June 27, 2001. Bundled in Resurrected and Battle Chest—FAQ.
  4. Diablo III

    Diablo III

    PCMacPS3Xbox 360Action RPGMainline

    Twenty years after D2—Leah, Adria, and the falling star.

    Overview
    Always-online launch era, skill runes, and Adventure Mode added later via RoS.
    In-game setting
    Story picks up post-Worldstone—Angels and Demons war escalates.
    Should you play it?
    Play through Reaper of Souls—base D3 ending was revised.
    Release date
    US launch May 15, 2012. Console ports followed; Eternal Collection bundles RoS—FAQ.
  5. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

    Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

    PCMacPS4Xbox OneExpansionMainline

    Malthael and Westmarch—Crusader class and Adventure Mode.

    Overview
    Expansion saves Diablo III's campaign—Pandemonium Fortress finale and loot 2.0.
    In-game setting
    Canonical D3 ending—bridge toward Diablo IV's Lilith focus.
    Should you play it?
    Required before Diablo IV for story continuity.
    Release date
    US launch March 25, 2014. Included in Ultimate/Eternal editions—FAQ.
  6. Diablo IV

    Diablo IV

    PCPS4PS5Xbox OneXbox Series X|SAction RPGMainline

    Lilith returns—open zones and shared Sanctuary.

    Overview
    Dark gothic open world—seasonal live service on top of campaign.
    In-game setting
    Story sequel to RoS era—Nephalem legacy and new class roster.
    Should you play it?
    Current mainline endpoint as of June 2026.
    Release date
    US launch June 6, 2023. Steam release later—FAQ for platform.

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 rows—not optional side content. Diablo Immortal (2022) is FAQ-only—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 rows here—not optional DLC trivia.

Remasters & editions

Diablo II: Resurrected (2021) remasters D2 + Lord of Destruction visuals—same story, FAQ-only bundle (not a separate Release row). 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—FAQ-only, not a mainline Release row. 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.