Diablo III is being developed as the definitive action role-playing game, and a true continuation of the Diablo series. Players will create a male or female hero from one of five distinct classes -- barbarian, witch doctor, wizard, monk, or demon hunter -- each equipped with an array of spells and abilities. As these heroes adventure through rich and varied settings, unraveling an epic storyline and engaging in combat with hordes of monsters and challenging bosses, they'll grow in experience and ability and acquire items of incredible power.

The game takes place on Sanctuary, a world of dark fantasy. Unbeknownst to most of its inhabitants, Sanctuary was saved some twenty years ago from the demonic forces of the underworld by a few brave and powerful heroes. Most of those warriors who directly faced the armies of the Burning Hells -- and were fortunate enough to survive -- went mad from their experiences. And most of the others have buried their haunted memories and pushed the horrors from their thoughts. In Diablo III, players will return to Sanctuary to confront evil in its many forms once again.

Diablo III will be a fitting sequel to Diablo II, with the easy interface, fast-paced action, and visceral gameplay that Diablo players have come to expect and enjoy. It will also include many new features that will take the Diablo action-RPG experience to the next level.

• Five powerful character classes to choose from, including the barbarian, witch doctor, wizard, monk, and demon hunter
• Brand-new 3D graphics and physics engines enhanced with spectacular visual effects
• Numerous indoor and outdoor areas detailing new regions in the world of Sanctuary
• Interactive environments with dangerous traps and obstacles, and destructible elements
• Randomly generated worlds bolstered by scripted events for endless and dynamic gameplay
• Vast assortment of fiendish monsters, with unique attack patterns and behaviors
• New quest system and character-customization options for the ultimate action RPG experience
• New runestone items that let players change how their abilities look and function, allowing for nearly limitless skill customization
• Multiplayer functionality over Battle.net with support for cooperative and competitive play
• Four different difficulty settings -- Normal, Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno -- that progressively increase the challenge and reward players with more powerful armor, weapons, and runestones
• Hardcore mode for players who seek the thrill of constant peril that comes with the possibility of permanent death for their character