# Diablo 5 will tell three stories across Sanctuary

> Blizzard's next dungeon crawler spans past, present, and future as demons reshape the world.
- Title: Diablo 5 will tell three stories across Sanctuary · TechRadar
- Summary: Blizzard's next dungeon crawler spans past, present, and future as demons reshape the world. Diablo 5 uses three interconnected narratives and dynamic…
- Keywords: diablo 5, blizzard entertainment, joe shely, jennifer hepler, sanctuary, dread commanders, terror forming, isometric dungeon crawler, spring 2029, blizzcon, narrative design, technology
- Source: TechRadar — https://techradar.com/gaming/diablo-5-senior-game-director-says-the-game-will-tell-three-stories-including-the-past-the-present-desolation-of-diablos-takeover-and-the-future-terror-forming-of-the-sanctuary
- Published: 2026-09-16T21:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: diablo 5, blizzard entertainment, joe shely, jennifer hepler, sanctuary, dread commanders, terror forming, isometric dungeon crawler, spring 2029, blizzcon, narrative design, technology
## Diablo 5 spans three timelines
The game tells stories of Sanctuary's past, the present desolation after Diablo's takeover, and the future as demons actively reshape the world into hell.

> There are three stories that we're telling within this changed world
## Humanity has nearly vanished
The world is mostly empty after Diablo's conquest. Players occasionally find survivors to recruit for their caravan, who provide support during the journey.

> There are no people around. There are very few survivors.
## Dread Commanders reshape biomes
Diablo's lieutenants actively transform environments into hellish versions of themselves through a process Blizzard calls terror forming, reshaping biomes to match their individual powers.

> These Dread Commanders will actually transform the environment, transform the biome into a version of hell
## Biomes change with new rulers
When a different Dread Commander takes control of an area, the entire biome transforms visually. A zombie-filled region under one commander becomes something completely different under another.

> It's going to look totally different. Each time you go somewhere, it's a whole new experience
## Procedural systems enable variation
Blizzard uses procedural generation to create multiple versions of each biome, allowing the same location to feel entirely new depending on which Dread Commander occupies it.

> The procedural world gives us a lot of levers to pull for that
## Humanity can reclaim territory
As the game progresses, players can witness areas being reclaimed by human survivors or conquered by different Dread Commanders, creating constant environmental shifts and new discoveries.

> It's either been reclaimed by humanity or taken over by a different Dread Commander
## Diablo 5 launches spring 2029
The next installment in the isometric dungeon crawler series is currently in development and will arrive on the Western continent of Sanctuary in spring 2029.
## Key takeaway

Diablo 5 uses three interconnected narratives and dynamic environments to show how Sanctuary transforms under demonic control, with biomes changing based on which Dread Commander rules them.