'Diablo 1' remake: Future of original game revealed by production director

The original “Diablo” is back. Blizzard Entertainment unveiled a number of its upcoming offerings over the weekend at the BlizzCon 2016, where it confirmed the return of “Diablo 1,” although it is not entirely what most fans are hoping for.

Blizzard is has launched the remastered version of the original “Diablo,” but it is not a standalone title like most gamers are clamouring for. The “Diablo 1” remake is instead included in a “Diablo 3” public test realm server that started to go live on Thursday.

The Blizzard game's production director John Lagrave revealed in an interview with PC Gamer why the game developer will not be making a standalone version of the “Diablo 1” remake.

“Our idea was to engage the public in the nostalgia of what we created. We wanted everybody to have that feeling of what we felt when we were playing ‘Diablo’ originally, what we enjoyed in making ‘Diablo,’” said Lagrave.

Blizzard released the “Diablo 1” remake via the “The Darkening of Tristram” patch and it includes a monster-filled dungeon of 16 levels as well as the four main bosses of the first “Diablo.” The patch is available to owners of the “Reaper of Souls” expansion pack on both PC and console for free.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the original “Diablo” game’s release, which is why fans expected something big from Blizzard as a celebratory treat. Still, the “Diablo 1” remake that goes into “Diablo 3” will be embraced and enjoyed by long-time devotees of the game.

The remake features some sort “pixel filter” that creates a retro look for the game, as well as a “tinny” filter that enhances in-game music playback. The new “Diablo 1” also features a dated user interface with faltering frames. Character movement is also be limited to eight directions, further pushing nostalgic boundaries.