2D/3D artist Oscar Cuesta, former Senior 3D artist at Blizzard North, has shared some new screenshots from an early version of Diablo 3. These screenshots showcase a completely different and darker version of Diablo 3.
Now as we all know, the final version of Diablo 3 looks nothing like these screenshots. As the artist noted, the models were pretty low on polygons at that time. Moreover, Blizzard was only using base color maps while developing it. Nevertheless, it’s quite remarkable witnessing screenshots of this “cancelled” Diablo 3 game.
What’s also interesting is that the game appears to be darker and grittier than its final version. Some could say that it looks closer to the upcoming Diablo 4. While Blizzard claimed that the main art inspiration for Diablo 4 is Diablo 2, I’m pretty sure that this cancelled version was also one.
Unfortunately, we’ll never get the chance to play this early version of Diablo 3. From what we know so far, this build has never been leaked. Also, I’m pretty sure that Blizzard has already scraped everything about it. So yeah, these screenshots – and perhaps more – are the only thing we’ll ever get.
But anyway, enjoy the following screenshots!
Thanks PureDiablo
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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Graphics are rough but the style looks nice. Seems to be just one area so hard to know if it could have gotten any better.
You’re joking right? That’s the nature of technological progression. If you believe that 2D have always looked great and timeless since their inception you may need to reflect on the ones that predate the NES. Besides there are a lot of games that came out in the early 00’s that looked great then and still look great now. I guess it’s all subjective.
You both have points. Personally I believe that the transition to the 3d shouldn’t be that abrupt, at the late 90’s, early ’00s the evolution of hardware would be able to offer us much more fantastic games with 2d graphics, probably the big studios just went to follow the trend. And for the other guys that yell about the prototype graphics, gosh it’s a prototype, no polish yet, what do you not get?
https://media0.giphy.com/media/6iuCATTQ2xGes/giphy.gif
Looks amazing compared to the tonally inconsistent garbage we got!
Looks like Expansion Pack to D2 than new game…
You can’t be serious. I don’t even like Blizzard games but that looks like sh*t
Re**rd
That’s what your mother said as you came out.
This looks like dogsh*t and how was D3 inconsistent?
Yeah, it’s obvious why they scrapped it…that’s terrible.
I actually really like Diablo 3’s art, especially the use of color. The game was so bad at launch, but it’s my GOAT right now. D2 remaster around the corner, and then 4? Lovin life right now.
gotta disagree, we traded per pixel lighting in quake1 for vertex lighting and vaseline textures, till programmable pipelines anyway
freespace 1?…yes please
lol, i might have just agreed with you actually
I love looking (and playing if something leaks ;)) at early prototypes of games. Quake, Unreal, Half-Life.. so much changed about them before they came out. It’s fascinating to be able to see how the vision for a game changed (for better or worse).
I guess you were too young in the early 00’s to have fully developed eyes lol.