Unlike Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, where the narrative was chopped into four acts (with a bonus fifth act thrown in later), there is a change in Diablo 4. The game offers a thrilling journey through Sanctuary with multiple acts with each bringing unique challenges, story elements, and regions. If you’re curious about how long it will take to get through the main campaign of Diablo 4 and what each act has included, this guide covers everything you need to know.
How Many Acts are in Diablo 4?
The game is divided into eight parts: a prologue, six main acts, and a short epilogue. If you’re a seasoned Diablo player, you’d know that’s a step up from Diablo 3, which had us battling through four acts. And let’s not forget the roughly 18-hour gameplay it offered. Diablo IV, on the other hand, is giving us around 30 hours of playthrough.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Prologue – Sets the stage and introduces the main story.
- Act 1: A Cold and Iron Faith – Focuses on exploring the snowy region of Fractured Peaks and hints at the main villain’s plans.
- Act 2: The Knife Twists Again – Takes players to Scosglen, full of forests and haunted lands.
- Act 3: The Making of Monsters – Shifts to the dry, expansive Dry Steppes with dark secrets waiting.
- Act 4: A Gathering Storm – A shorter act focused on key story events.
- Act 5: Secrets Bartered, Fates Sold – The longest act, traveling through multiple areas with so many quests.
- Act 6: Dance of the Makers – Prepares for the story’s climax with intense battles.
- Epilogue – Wrap up the campaign and include endgame activities such as quests.
Just by the sound of these titles, you know you’re in for a dark and stormy adventure filled with gut-wrenching twists and turns that Diablo is known for. Once you’ve battled through the six acts, there’s still the Epilogue waiting for you, named ‘From the Wound Spilled’. So, with a Prologue, six main acts, and an Epilogue, we’re looking at a total of eight segments of narrative to plow through.
How Long to Beat Diablo 4?
The time it takes to complete Diablo 4 depends on your play style, the chosen difficulty level, and whether you focus only on the main quests or take on the side quests. Here’s an estimate:
- Main story only: Approximately 20 to 30 hours if you focus mainly on the core storyline.
- Main story + side activities: Around 40 hours when also going after side quests and extra challenges.
- Endgame content and full exploration: To level 100, including all activities and dungeons, expect over 100 hours.
Quick Time Estimates per Act
- Prologue: About 1-2 hours. It’s a brief introduction.
- Act 1: 3-4 hours, introducing key characters and the main villain.
- Act 2: 3-4 hours, with branching quests and mini-bosses.
- Act 3: 3-4 hours, though it can feel longer due to intense travel and battles.
- Act 4: Roughly 30 minutes, as it’s shorter and includes a boss fight.
- Act 5: 4-5 hours, packed with quests and multiple locations.
- Act 6: 1-2 hours, focusing on the campaign’s climax.
- Epilogue: Less than an hour, with a few final scenes to close the story.
- Related: Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds Guide
Compared to its predecessor, Diablo 3, which could be wrapped up in about 18 hours, this game is like a thick novel you can’t wait to devour, page by page, act by act. There is nothing short of stuff for fans including more story, grind, and obviously, more demons to send back to the hell they crawled out from.
Once you finish the main campaign, Diablo 4 doesn’t end there. The endgame offers challenges and dungeons to help players grind and level up. You can aim for the Paragon board to reach level 100, which can take hundreds of hours. Further, there are seasonal events in Diablo IV and the chance to replay with different classes for new builds, and abilities.
