GOG.com announces a partnership to bring some of Blizzard Entertainment's
classic games to their DRM-free marketplace. This kicks off with
the rerelease of
Diablo,
the debut installment in their action/RPG series, and they say
Warcraft: Orcs
& Humans and
Warcraft II will follow. They are offering an updated
version as well as the classic original, and this supports Batte.net
matchmaking. Interested? Then stay a while, and listen:
Blizzard
Entertainment and GOG.COM have teamed up to rerelease select classic Blizzard
games, beginning with Diablo®, Blizzard’s legendary 1996 action role-playing
game that introduced players to the harsh—and deeply rewarding—world of
Sanctuary.
The original Diablo is available now via digital distribution for the first time
ever on GOG.COM. Players looking for the authentic Diablo experience can play
the game as it was in 1996, with period-appropriate 20 FPS SVGA graphics, and
the ability to matchmake through the classic version of Blizzard’s Battle.net®
online-gaming service. Blizzard and GOG.COM have collaborated on an updated
version of the game, which includes out-of-the-box Windows 10 compatibility, and
a host of bug fixes. Players can choose either version of the game from a
launcher.
"We were bummed that these iconic games weren’t available to our players, so
we‘re very happy to work with the crew at GOG.COM to rectify that,” said Rob
Bridenbecker, Vice President and Executive Producer, Blizzard Entertainment.
“This has been a long time coming and we hope our players will be excited to
jump back into these classic titles."
In addition to bringing back the first Diablo, Blizzard is planning other
GOG.COM re-releases of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans and Warcraft II. More information
on the return to Azeroth will be revealed soon.
"Crawling through the original Diablo's dungeons, together with Blizzard, is a
feeling of pure excitement," said Oleg Klapovsky, SVP at GOG. "It's a personal
thing for many of us, and the most wished-for game in our community. Taking the
first few steps beneath the Tristram Cathedral, listening to the guidance of
Cain the Elder—it's all coming back, for old souls and newcomers alike.”