Diablo 2: Resurrected vs. Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction — What are the differences?

Diablo 2 Andariel
Diablo 2 Andariel (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)

Diablo 2: Resurrected vs. Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction — What are the differences?

Best answer: Diablo 2: Resurrected actually includes the Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction expansion pack, as well as new graphical updates, higher framerate support, quality of life improvements, and more.

What are the differences in Diablo 2: Resurrected vs. Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction?

Diablo 2: Resurrected is a remaster of the classic game, which is widely considered one of the most influential titles from Blizzard Entertainment, if not one of the best PC games period. It also includes the Lord of Destruction expansion pack, which added two new classes (for a total of seven) and a story chapter dedicated to stopped Baal, the titular Lord of Destruction.

In addition to including said expansion, there's quite a few other big differences. Diablo 2: Resurrected supports 4K graphics, a higher framerate, and quality of life changes. For example, you can set gold to automatically be picked up, removing a fair bit of hassle from your mob-destroying activities.

Blizzard compares the original game to a puppeteer, with Diablo 2: Resurrected as the puppet. New 7.1 surround sound audio is also supported, with a similarly remastered soundtrack. The game's cinematics are being remade "shot for shot," so they'll be up to par for what players expect in 2021. The best part of it all is that if you don't want these changes, everything can be disabled, with the graphics swapped out at a single button press.

Will Diablo 2: Resurrected be available on new platforms?

Yes, in addition to releasing on PC, Diablo 2: Resurrected is also available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Diablo 2: Resurrected also supports cross-progression, meaning you'll be able to upload your character to your Battle.net account and then carry them over with you, regardless of where you're choosing to play.

Diablo 2: Resurrected does not have cross-play, however, so if you want to go through the game with some friends, you'll need to sync up and make sure you're on the same platform for the time being.

Diablo 2: Resurrected is here, far sooner than Diablo 4, the next mainline entry in the franchise, which is not going to release in 2021, according to Activision-Blizzard. At BlizzConline, Blizzard shared more about Diablo 4's rogue class, cross-play, PvP systems and more, so regular updates are still happening even if the game won't be here soon.

Samuel Tolbert
Freelance Writer

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert.