Blizzard’s original vision for Diablo 4 was a bold departure from the franchise’s familiar top-down perspective. According to Jason Schreier’s new book, *Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future Of Blizzard Entertainment*, the development team initially envisioned a third-person action game dubbed *Project Hades*. This radical shift was spearheaded by Josh Mosqueira, the director who helped revive Diablo III with the successful *Reaper of Souls* expansion.
Imagine a Diablo game with brutal, Arkham Knight-esque combat, where the camera perspective takes on a third-person view. This was the core concept behind *Project Hades*, a game that would have pushed the boundaries of the Diablo franchise.
Another striking element of *Project Hades* was the inclusion of permadeath. If your character died in this game, it was gone forever. This mechanic, akin to Diablo’s challenging Hardcore mode, would have amplified the tension and stakes of the game, making every encounter a nerve-wracking experience.
While *Project Hades* was still in its experimental phases, the game was envisioned with co-op multiplayer, further enhancing its potential for shared adventures and perilous escapades. The vision for the game was intriguing, but it ultimately never saw the light of day.
It’s fascinating to consider what could have been. Would *Project Hades* have been a success? Could it have revitalized the Diablo franchise in a completely different way? While we’ll never know for sure, it’s clear that Blizzard wasn’t afraid to explore ambitious concepts for their beloved series.
Meanwhile, the current Diablo 4, released in 2023, has become the most successful game in the franchise’s history, generating over $1 billion in revenue. While Diablo 4 diverged from the initial *Project Hades* vision, it has cemented its place as a major force in the gaming world.
