About Diablo
Diablo, developed by Blizzard North and published by Blizzard Entertainment at the very end of 1996, set the template for the action RPG. The town of Tristram sits above a ruined cathedral, and beneath it the dungeon descends, level by level, toward Diablo, the Lord of Terror. You pick a Warrior, Rogue or Sorcerer and fight down through 16 levels, clicking to attack and picking up a steady stream of weapons, armor and gold.
The dungeon layouts and item drops are randomly generated, so no two playthroughs look quite the same, which is a big reason people kept replaying it. Diablo also launched Blizzard’s Battle.net service for online play.
How it runs in your browser
This web version is a fan build by johnimril based on DevilutionX, the open-source project that grew out of Devilution, a community reconstruction of Diablo’s original source code. Compiled to WebAssembly, it runs the game’s own logic in a browser tab, and it plays right here on this page.
There are two ways to start:
- Play the shareware version. The port offers Diablo’s free shareware release, so you can start without any files of your own. It only covers the opening stretch of the game.
- Load your own game data. If you own the full game, you can give the port the DIABDAT.MPQ file from your copy and play all of it.
The full game is still sold today, on GOG among other stores, if you want to move past the shareware.
Controls and devices
Diablo is played mostly with the mouse. Left-click to walk, attack and pick things up, and right-click to cast your selected spell. Keyboard shortcuts open the inventory, character sheet and spellbook and use potions from your belt.
Play on a desktop or laptop. Phones, touch screens and controllers aren’t listed as supported for this build.
Tips
Start with the shareware version to check that the port runs well in your browser before digging out your old game files. The early levels can still be punishing, so keep healing potions on your belt and don’t rush into large groups. More ways to play the series are on our Diablo page.
Is Diablo (DevilutionX web) Free, Safe and Official?
Is Diablo free to play here?
The shareware version is free and starts without any files. To play the whole game, you load the DIABDAT.MPQ file from a copy you own.
Is this an official Blizzard release?
No. It’s an unofficial fan build based on the open-source DevilutionX project and isn’t affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.
Can I play Diablo on a phone or Chromebook?
Neither is listed as supported. Diablo is played with a mouse, so a desktop or laptop is the safest choice.
