Three years after releasing in the West, Diablo 4 is finally coming to China on December 12, but not without some noticeable visual changes that make Blizzard’s ARPG less bloody and horrific than usual.
The game finally received approval from China’s National Press and Publication Administration earlier this year, and will now officially launch in December with a free trial and some unique cosmetics for those who pre-register. In order to launch in China, Blizzard has had to make some changes to the dark fantasy world of Sanctuary in order to abide by Chinese government regulations regarding the depiction of skeletons and blood.
Considering Diablo 4 is filled to the brim with blood, gore, and bones (including an entire Necromancer class that summons skeleton armies), Blizzard had its work cut out for it. Players in China are now beginning to participate in the game’s beta, in the process revealing some of the creative solutions Blizzard has come up with in order to release Diablo 4 in the region.
As highlighted by Wowhead, blood in the Chinese version of Diablo 4 is instead depicted as a brown-orange mist that comes out of enemies when hit. For a game where massive groups of enemies explode in a cloud of red, having what looks like dust burst out from enemies instead is definitely a major difference that is noticeable from the game’s opening moments.
While we don’t yet know how Blizzard reimagined Necromancers’ skeletal minions, one prominent skeleton enemy, the Wandering Death world boss, may offer a clue. Instead of a colossal-skeleton spirit, the Chinese version of Wandering Death is a giant collection of rocks that Western players would have a hard time guessing is even the same enemy. It remains to be seen if Blizzard has taken a similar rock approach to all skeletons in the game, but it certainly makes for a much different vibe.
Even some ability icons have been changed. The Rogue ability Penetrating Shot, which in the Western version of Diablo 4 uses an icon depicting an arrow passing through two skulls, is similar in the Chinese version but somehow more unsettling. Instead of skulls, the Chinese ability icon depicts two creepy masks skewered by an arrow.
There will no doubt be plenty other noticeable differences once the game is out in full. However, all the changes are expected to be cosmetic only, with the game playing the same as it currently does in all regions.
In the West, Diablo 4 Season 11 will launch on December 9, just a few days before the game’s arrival in China. Season 11 will bring updates both big and small to the ARPG, including major changes to systems like Masterworking and Tempering as well as smaller quality-of-life tweaks like Waypoints being unlocked from the start.
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