This Monday (28), AnimeNew was present at an international press conference promoted by Blizzard Entertainment to present the unprecedented collaboration between two references from the dark fantasy universe: Diablo and Berserk. The interview revealed never-before-released details about the creative process, inspirations and challenges behind this historic union.
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Represented by artists Emil Salim (Diablo Immortal) and Viviane Kosty (Diablo IV), Blizzard Studios shared a behind-the-scenes look at the partnership that promises to profoundly impact the trajectory of both games. We heard passionate accounts, technical analyses, and emotional statements about the impact of Kentaro Miura's work on the development of this highly anticipated crossover.
A partnership that arose naturally between two dark universes
From the beginning of the conversation, it was clear that Diablo and Berserk share more than a similar aesthetic: both delve into the depths of the struggle for survival in worlds torn apart by war, darkness, and suffering. Emil Salim got straight to the point when he commented that when the art team received the collaboration proposal, the reaction was immediate. "It was like finding a missing piece of a puzzle. Berserk's narrative, filled with pain, violence, and resistance, fits perfectly with the essence of Diablo."
Viviane Kosty reinforced this view by saying that, visually, the connection between the universes has always existed. According to her, the transposition of elements from Berserk into Diablo IV occurred almost intuitively, respecting the dark medieval foundation that characterizes both. "It's a meeting of worlds that were already in dialogue without realizing it ," she stated.
How the art team balanced the homage to Kentaro Miura with the Diablo aesthetic
On behalf of AnimeNew, we asked Blizzard artists directly about the process of balancing homage to Kentaro Miura's work with the need to maintain Diablo's solid visual identity. Emil Salim and Viviane Kosty's response revealed not only a technical concern, but also a deep emotional respect for the Berserk author's work.
Salim explained that both he and Viviane are great admirers of Miura's work, especially the author's almost poetic portrayal of violence. "Miura had a unique way of conveying brutality with lyricism ," he said. Inspired by this approach, the team sought to incorporate what they called "manga energy" into Diablo Immortal's new cinematics.
Salim explained that the team inserted quick cuts between 3D scenes and 2D visual moments, styled like hand-drawn manga pages, to convey this influence. "Throughout the new film, you'll see these quick cuts, almost like stereotypical anime compositions, and this was done intentionally to capture the spirit of Miura's work ," he detailed.
Viviane Kosty added a specific perspective on the development of Diablo IV . She explained that, because it's a PC and console game, there was room to highlight complex textures in the 3D models, something they used to create a more subtle and profound homage to Miura's original work.
"If you look closely at Guts' Berserker armor in the game, you'll see small notches, marks, and grooves that mimic the shadow lines Miura drew in his manga ," Viviane commented. She emphasized that the team sought to translate the feeling of Miura's illustrations into the 3D environment, allowing attentive fans to immediately recognize the reference.
"It's our way of maintaining the feel of the original while adapting it to a new medium ," he said. "It was a very conscious decision by the art team, made not just as creators, but as fans who wanted to pay a fitting tribute."
Eclipse Adaptation: Recreating Trauma in Gameplay Form
One of the highlights of the collaboration is the adaptation of the Eclipse arc, one of Berserk's most iconic and brutal moments. Emil Salim revealed that Diablo Immortal's Struggler's Bane event was designed to accurately capture the feelings of despair, isolation, and resistance that Guts faces in the manga.
During the event, the game's environment changes drastically. The sky turns red, and enemies attack with greater speed and ferocity. The player's character receives increased damage. "We wanted the player to experience Eclipse, not just watch it. To feel the same terror and adrenaline we feel reading the manga ," said Emil.
Viviane added that while Diablo IV focused more on visual representation and less on directly adapting narrative events, the spirit of resistance and loss that permeates Berserk was also carefully incorporated into the cosmetics and settings.
Character Selection: Golden Age as a Basis for Immersion
The team carefully selected which Berserk elements to incorporate. Emil Salim compared the vastness of Berserk's content to a "gigantic buffet" of iconic characters, weapons, and locations. Thus, for Diablo Immortal, the decision was to focus on the "Golden Age" arc, considered one of the series' most iconic.
Highlights include the boss fight against Nosferatu Zodd, the Eclipse-inspired setting, and the presence of iconic elements such as the Red Cross and the Band of the Hawk. However, in Diablo IV, the focus was on skins that represented the essence of Guts, Griffith, and the Skull Knight, adapted with creative freedom to fit the varying proportions and styles of the game's classes.
Viviane highlighted that the goal was to make fans immediately recognize
The team preserves the brutality of Berserk without censorship
Emil Salim and Viviane Kosty clarified to journalists that they preserved all of Berserk's brutality, without the need for censorship. "There was no content in Berserk that we considered 'too much' for Diablo. On the contrary, we sought to absorb as much of the poetic brutality that characterizes the work as possible ," Viviane stated enthusiastically.
Additionally, the Blizzard team ensured that, because Diablo is already an adult-rated game, there was creative freedom to explore the darker layers of Berserk without compromising authenticity.
Tribute from fans to fans: the thrill of working with Miura's legacy
Another moving moment during the press conference was the artists' account of the personal impact of working with Kentaro Miura's original references. Emil described the experience as "walking into a museum of masterpieces." Both recounted the feeling of seeing never-before-seen turnarounds of characters like Guts, Griffith, and the Golems.
Viviane emphasized that many members of the art team grew up reading Berserk, and that bringing these characters to life was a dream come true. "Every texture, every detail was crafted with love and respect. It was like paying homage to a master who shaped our passion for dark fantasy ," she stated.
New collaborations on the horizon? The future of crossovers in Diablo
Closing the press conference, Emil Salim revealed that the experience of working with Berserk paved the way for future partnerships on Diablo. Thus, with the creation of an internal structure to manage external collaborations, Blizzard now feels better prepared for new projects.
Viviane also expressed enthusiasm for future opportunities. "We want to continue delivering experiences that make sense, respect Diablo's story, and genuinely move players ," she said.
New Diablo Collaboration with Berserk Honors Kentaro Miura's Legacy
More than just honoring Kentaro Miura's legacy, this collaboration represents a milestone for Blizzard, paving the way for future integrations that respect the spirit of Diablo . Fans of both universes can now look forward to experiencing this fusion firsthand, battling demons, reliving trauma, and celebrating survival—an essence that both Berserk and Diablo have always shared.
