Blizzard has announced the first Diablo 3 expansion, Reaper of Souls, at Gamescom. Read Martin's live report below for details of its new endgame, loot system, story and character class: the Crusader. Also, check out the cinematic and gameplay trailers below.
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
Rodpad: Is this being broadcast or just text updates this time?
There's no stream that we know of, so it will just be Martin's text updates filling you in.
– Oli Welsh
Hey hey, I've just taken my seat in the Press Hall within the Kolnmesse.
– Martin Robinson
The stage is flanked with Diablo 3 banners, and they're playing music that sounds super-similar to Han Zimmer's Man of Steel soundtrack. Is Superman going to be revealed as a new character class?
– Martin Robinson
Yeah, probably not. Diablo 3 console's just around the corner, so it's more likely this is an update or - excite! - an expansion.
– Martin Robinson
Other than a selection of cheese and ham baps at the back of the room there's not much to report yet. We're due to kick off in three minutes.
– Martin Robinson
Sorry, it's cheese or ham, not cheese and ham. I went for both.
– Martin Robinson
Small dollop of cream cheese and a walnut on the emmental one, which seemed a bit unnecessary, but still pretty good.
– Martin Robinson
Srift: @MartinRobinson ah I see what you did grabbed both and combined. Sandwich crafting unlocked trophy obtained.
Ha! I might be more experimental and throw in some of the salami one too.
– Martin Robinson
Putting baps aside for one moment - the lights have dimmed and we're about to kick off.
– Martin Robinson
There's lights and ominous music. Feel like I'm at a very polite Iron Maiden gig.
– Martin Robinson
And we're in with a cinematic for Diablo 3.
– Martin Robinson
'Diablo was defeated, and for a time it seemed we were at peace. But it was not to be.'
– Martin Robinson
It's the pencil sketch style that swoops through a dungeon, and we cut to some typically impressive CG.
– Martin Robinson
It's kicking off - scythe wielding demon comes in and makes all sorts of mischief with a selection of heroes. Christ they know how to put together a cinematic.
– Martin Robinson
Our hero thrusts his blade through the demon, only to be picked up and have his life sucked slowly away. 'Brother, why?'
– Martin Robinson
Diablo 3 Reaper of Souls is announced in quite some style.
– Martin Robinson
And game director Josh Mosqueira comes on stage.
– Martin Robinson
Reaper of Souls is the next expansion for Diablo 3.
– Martin Robinson
And we're going to have a look at it today. Genuine excitement.
– Martin Robinson
Diablo 3's about epic heroes - and there's a new villain in the fallen angel of wisdom.
– Martin Robinson
And Diablo 3, more importantly, is about epic loot -pleasing after the original's somewhat anaemic offering.
– Martin Robinson
A new hero, the Crusader. That's who we saw in the cinematic.
– Martin Robinson
And a whole new act is in as well.
– Martin Robinson
And they're rethinking the end-game, providing players with as many options. One's loot runs, another's an update to the Paragon system.
– Martin Robinson
Brian Kindregan here to take us through the story.
– Martin Robinson
It's an age of peace. There's a problem though! It's the sodding Black Soul Stone.
– Martin Robinson
It's hidden in sanctuary, but Maltheal, the Angel of Death returns to generally be a bit of a sod.
– Martin Robinson
So Malthael's back, and he wants to end the eternal conflict by destroying all the demons. And it's the humans that really get his back up.
– Martin Robinson
Malthael can turn the dead against their loved ones. Not particularly nice.
– Martin Robinson
Christian Lichtner, the art director, is up now. He's excited to talk about Malthael.
– Martin Robinson
This is a darker expansion.
– Martin Robinson
That's something you can see in Malthael's look - he looks proper miserable.
– Martin Robinson
He can drain the souls from his victims, and he's pretty much death incarnate. He has angelic wings, but they're skeletal.
– Martin Robinson
New monsters are getting involved too. The Seraph, a chubby demon is first. Summoner of the Dead's more wirty, and the Executioner's a hulking beast. Death Maiden, who looks quite stylish really, is last.
– Martin Robinson
Westmarch is the setting, and it takes influence from Gothic western locations. It's more medieval.
– Martin Robinson
Within Westmarch is the story of a fallen city.
– Martin Robinson
And you've got to save it, basically. Kevin Martens, the lead designer, will let us know how you can go about that.
– Martin Robinson
The Crusader's taking the limelight - wielding shield and long sword, he's a heroic looking chap.
– Martin Robinson
He's linked to Diablo 2's Paladins.
– Martin Robinson
They're a mid-range melee character.
– Martin Robinson
A Sparten ethos with the power of a modern tank. They've got crusader shields, and flails. They can get right up in the midst and crack skulls. A war machine made human.
– Martin Robinson
We're seeing the crusader in action now - there's a shield bash and fist of the heavens, a mid-range melee ability.
– Martin Robinson
Falling sword's related to that - you become the missile, raining down on enemies.
– Martin Robinson
This is playable on the show floor.
– Martin Robinson
And we're seeing that demo now.
– Martin Robinson
Starts on the ouskirts of Westmarch.
– Martin Robinson
Eppo: No cameras allowed?
There isn't one, I'm afraid.
– Martin Robinson
You're hight up, and down below you can see Westmarch peeking out of the gloom.
– Martin Robinson
Shield Flare's being highlight, which can blind your enemies.
– Martin Robinson
Transitions between internal and external places is more seamless now.
– Martin Robinson
We're on the streets of Westmarch, a very urban backdrop.
– Martin Robinson
The Law of Valour ability's being activated - and he's showing off Falling Sword, which makes light work of a small pack of enemies.
– Martin Robinson
stardazzled: any mentioning of a level cap?
It's been pushed up -not sure where to exactly though.
– Martin Robinson
Voarea: hey, what kind of primary stat/gems does this new crusader use?
We haven't seen that yet - sorry!
– Martin Robinson
Now we're inside Zakarum Cathedral, where a Death Maiden lies in wait.
– Martin Robinson
Made short work of that.
– Martin Robinson
Screamer-RSA: If Reaper of Souls does not allow offline play, I have no interest in it whatsoever.
Let's wait and see - I'm sure we'll get news regarding that shortly.
– Martin Robinson
Loot time - just picked up a God Butcher, a flail that's every bit as awesome as it sounds.
– Martin Robinson
Mosqueira is back on stage to talk about Loot 2.0.
– Martin Robinson
Loot drops less, but the drops are better and more meaningful.
– Martin Robinson
You'll get Smart Drops - every time one drops, there's a chance its stats are tweaked to suit the character you're playing.
– Martin Robinson
Comparing original D3 and the expansion - in Act 3 you'd find 256 common, 399 blue, 275 yellow and one legendary.
– Martin Robinson
In Reaper of Souls, it could be 73 white items, 266 blues and 83 yellow items - but there's more chance they'll be smart drops.
– Martin Robinson
And it'll throw 6 legendary items your way, and this time they'll be build changers.
– Martin Robinson
We're looking at how they're making loot more meaningful - a wizard's legendary wand now has a greater chance of summoning Hydras, and summoning more of them.
– Martin Robinson
A new artisan in Reaper of Souls can transmogrify your items - so you don't have to sacrifice your look for more power.
– Martin Robinson
And there's enchanting, allowing you to reroll an affix in a rare of legendary item.
– Martin Robinson
And the endgame's being rethought completely. Something for everyone once you're done with the story.
– Martin Robinson
New level cap of 70, so every class gets more skills, runes.
– Martin Robinson
Loot Runs are 15-20 minutes dungeons that are completely randomised.
– Martin Robinson
Paragon 2.0 - there are three big changes. It's now account wide, so all your characters will benefit. And there's no longer a cap.
– Martin Robinson
And that's it with the changes.
– Martin Robinson
One last surprise! It's the gameplay trailer - which isn't that exciting for you as there's no stream (sorry)
– Martin Robinson
It's on the show floor, and we're meeting with Josh tomorrow so hopefully we'll be able to get to any unanswered questions.
– Martin Robinson
From what I understand, though, this is very much addressing all the concerns many had with Diablo 3, and answering many of the criticisms.
– Martin Robinson
From what I've seen it's done so very well.
– Martin Robinson
And that's a wrap. Thanks for joining us!
– Martin Robinson
We'll be back later with a livetext of Phil Spencer's keynote. See you then!