In 1997, Blizzard North introduced Diablo, a game that set the stage for a highly successful and enduring series. The latest entry, Diablo IV, was released by Activision Blizzard in 2023. Despite this, fans of the original game can now enjoy it on almost any internet-connected device, thanks to a new web-based adaptation.
A developer has created an innovative web-based port of Diablo, leveraging the reverse engineering efforts of the Devilution team. This open-source project has converted the classic ARPG to run within modern web browsers using WebAssembly. It simplifies the game’s interface through JavaScript and includes significant updates to the event handling and menu systems to ensure compatibility with the web environment.
Diablo Revived for Browsers with New Web Port Featuring Classic Gameplay
This web-based version allows players to access Diablo directly from their browsers. The port offers the shareware version of the game but permits users to upload their own diabdat.mpq file to play the full version. It also features a save game management system, although there have been some user reports of issues with this feature.
The current port is an improvement over a previous attempt from 2019 that also used Devilution code but is no longer available. To avoid copyright concerns, this new version requires users to provide their own game copy, thereby sidestepping the direct distribution of the game’s data.
In testing the web port on Firefox under Windows 10, the shareware version of Diablo performed reasonably well. However, the graphics were slightly slower and less responsive than remembered. Despite these minor drawbacks, the opportunity to revisit this classic game on a smartphone is a compelling option for devoted Diablo fans.
