Diablo was intended to be a turn-based RPG and would get ‘expansion disks’

David Brevik, co-founder of Blizzard North and creator of the Diablo series, has released the original pitch for the first Diablo game. The 1994 document describes a turn-based RPG and extensive system of expansions reminiscent of DLC.

The document consists of eight pages and is in the name of Condor. That was the name of the game studio that was founded in 1993 and was bought by Blizzard nine months before its release in December 1996. The pitch describes Diablo as a turn-based RPG with isometric perspective. The first is striking, because Diablo eventually became a hack-and-slash RPG where players don’t have to wait their turn.

The document also describes the Dynamic Random Level Generation system, which should form the heart of the game. With this technique, which was actually implemented in the game, the dungeons are randomly generated.

The pitch not only describes the basis of Diablo, but also explains an extensive marketing plan for the release of expansion packs, which are reminiscent of what we know today as DLC. These expansion packs would consist of a disk with new items, creatures and levels, and they would probably also contain an information card.

In total there would be 16 or 32 different expansions, with for example one rare sword and three unusual items in each pack. Installing the disk would bring these items into play, but the player would still have to find them in a dungeon. The document suggests perhaps placing one of the goodies directly in the players’ inventory for “immediate relief.”

The expansion discs should cost $4.95 and should preferably be placed right next to the cash register to encourage impulse purchases. The marketing strategy, according to the pitch, would provide additional revenue in the long run with minimal effort. The document presents the system as unique in the computer game industry, but the authors also say that the physical card game Magic: The Gathering has served as inspiration.

The ‘dlc’ plan ultimately came to nothing. Diablo appeared in late 1996, but the proposed expansions never came. Diablo: Hellfire was released in 1997, an expansion made by Sierra Entertainment. This expansion added a new storyline, various items and the Monk class.