Diablo 5 to Launch with More Classes Than Any Previous Game

Blizzard's Diablo 5 will launch with more classes than any other game in the series, according to game director Joe Shely. Three classes revealed so far: Monk, Demon Hunter, and Plague Knight.

Ever dreamed of a Diablo game with so many classes you can't pick just one? Well, Diablo 5 might just be your paradise. According to game director Joe Shely, the upcoming entry will launch with more classes than any other game in the franchise. That's right—more than Diablo 2, more than Diablo 3, more than Diablo 4. Shely dropped this bombshell during a BlizzCon 2026 panel, right after the game's surprise reveal and Spring 2029 release window.

During the panel, Blizzard pulled back the curtain on three of Diablo 5's classes: the Monk, the Demon Hunter, and a brand-new face called the Plague Knight. "Diablo 5 is going to launch with more classes than ever before," Shely said. "And I don't just mean more classes than another Diablo game at ship. I mean more classes total." So what does that mean in numbers? Blizzard is aiming for nine or ten classes at launch, depending on whether they count Diablo 4's newly revealed Amazon class. That's a staggering amount of variety right out of the gate.

In a group interview attended by GameSpot at BlizzCon, Shely elaborated on why having so many classes matters. "What that does...it allows us to, if you started playing Diablo in Diablo 3, you probably know the Demon Hunter, and you can jump into Diablo 5 and have an experience that's familiar and new at the same time," he explained. "It's a new representation of the class. It's going to be different, but you're still going to have twin crossbows. We're going to pay off that nostalgia you have and that feeling of what that experience was like. Having a lot of classes lets us do that in a way we haven't been able to do before. It also affords us the opportunity to explore new classes like the Plague Knight."

That philosophy of blending nostalgia with innovation is clearly central to Diablo 5's design. If you're a veteran who fell in love with the Demon Hunter's dual crossbows back in Diablo 3, you'll find a familiar yet fresh take here. And if you're craving something completely different, the Plague Knight promises to scratch that itch. With nine or ten classes, there's bound to be a playstyle for everyone.

Meanwhile, Blizzard has confirmed that Diablo 4 won't receive new expansions going forward. However, the game will continue to receive new seasonal content. The next season, Season of Hell's Legacy, goes live on September 15 and sees the return of Deckard Cain. The iconic Horadrim from previous Diablo games will task players with taking on echoes of the Prime Evils, including Diablo himself. So even as the focus shifts to Diablo 5, Diablo 4 still has some life left in it.

With Diablo 5 in full swing and a Spring 2029 release window, there's plenty of time to speculate about what other classes might join the roster. Nine or ten classes is a massive leap for the series, and it could redefine how we think about character builds and replayability. Will you be picking up Diablo 5 when it launches? What class are you most excited to try? Let us know in the comments below!