Diablo V: Blizzard names Demon Hunter, Monk and Plague Knight

Game director Joe Shely said the Demon Hunter is being reworked in a new way, while twin crossbows are returning as part of the class’s gear.

The available sources also suggest Diablo V will feature more classes than previous Diablo games, but the full launch roster has not been revealed.

What happened

During the Diablo V: Forging the Next Era panel at BlizzCon 2026, Blizzard shared the first details about the next Diablo game. In the supplied reporting, Monk, Demon Hunter and Plague Knight are named as the first three classes. The official Blizzard context in the provided sources refers to a presentation focused on the world, classes and systems of Diablo V.

The Demon Hunter received extra attention. According to the sources, game director Joe Shely said the class will remain familiar to players of Diablo 3, but will be developed in a different way in Diablo V. The same context mentions that twin crossbows are returning. The supplied information describes this as part of the class’s equipment, but does not include a full direct quote from Shely.

The reporting also says Blizzard is aiming for a mix of returning classes and new ideas. It further mentions a larger number of classes than in earlier Diablo entries. In the external context, Diablo V is also described as a project targeting a spring 2029 release, while other sources simply say 2029. How many classes will be available at launch has not yet been confirmed in the supplied information.

Background

The core of the reveal is that Blizzard is positioning Diablo V as a blend of familiar Diablo elements and new ideas. The Demon Hunter is being used as an example of a class that should feel recognizable without simply repeating Diablo 3. The sources emphasize the return of twin crossbows, which fits the class’s signature loadout.

The naming in the supplied sources is not fully consistent: both Diablo 5 and Diablo V are used. Based on the provided information, however, it is clear that Blizzard used the BlizzCon panel to outline the first classes and the game’s direction. The official Blizzard snippets in the context describe the reveal of the first details about the world, classes and systems, while other sources describe the game as being in full production.

The external context also includes some concrete scheduling claims. One source says Diablo V will launch in 2029, while another is more specific and says spring 2029. The supplied context also states that the game will have more classes than previous Diablo titles. That claim is repeated in the available information, but the exact launch roster remains unclear.

The status of Plague Knight also warrants caution. The supplied sources name the class as part of the first reveal, but the prompt itself notes that it is not fully clear everywhere whether Blizzard confirmed this directly and definitively. The same applies to the exact wording of Joe Shely’s comments about the Demon Hunter: the sources refer to his explanation, but do not provide a fully verifiable quote.

The broader context shows Blizzard positioning the next Diablo game as a new phase for the franchise, mixing returning archetypes with fresh ideas. The combination of Monk, Demon Hunter and Plague Knight forms the first concrete class mention in the supplied reporting, but the final full roster has not yet been announced.

Sources

• Blizzard News: Diablo V: Forging the Next Era — Diablo IV — Blizzard News
• Diablo V | The Next Era of Diablo
• IGN: Diablo 5 Is in Full Production: Story and Classes Revealed
• GameRant: Diablo 5 V classes statement Demon Hunter crossbows
• Icy Veins: Here Are All the Confirmed Classes for Diablo 5 Including Familiar Faces and New Ones