Diablo IV vs Sword of the Sea
A seasonal grind with loot that resets versus a one-sitting meditative surf — pick your pace.
Updated 6d ago
Skip the $49.99 Standard button — the $69.99 Age of Hatred Collection adds both expansions for twenty dollars more. The 2026 repairs are free either way.
Giant Squid's glide-and-grind traversal is pure flow — a worthy heir to Journey's throne despite the short runtime.
By the numbers
Prices checked Aug 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 7.
| Measure | Diablo IV | Sword of the Sea |
|---|---|---|
| Value Sword of the Sea wins on value | ||
| Price now | $49.99 Blizzard | $29.99 Epic Game Store |
| All-time low | $22.49 | $20.99 |
| Cost / hour | $1.94/hr $49.99 · 26 h main story | $10.90/hr $29.99 · 3 h main story |
| Off its low | +122% low was Aug 2025 | +43% low was Mar 2026 |
| Main story | 26 h | 3 h |
| Health Sword of the Sea wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 65% 75k reviews | 90% 2k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 68% 927 votes · vs 65% lifetime | 83% 53 votes · vs 90% lifetime · souring |
| Peak players | 42,469 Jul 2026 · ↑ 66% MoM | 32 Jul 2026 · ↓ 16% MoM |
| Launch peak | — | 6% of Aug 2025 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 |
| All-time peak | 63,808 May 2026 · now at 67% | 493 Aug 2025 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | — | 11 months ago |
| Patch cadence | — | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Gold | Gold |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Diablo IV
Three years of repairs finally arriving at once. Players who stayed through every season say the endgame is the best it has been.
Paying again. Skills behind an expansion paywall is the complaint that recurs most, followed by an endgame they still call grindy and unbalanced.
from our July 2026 verdict
Sword of the Sea
Sliding and tricking across dunes is the hook that holds even veteran Game-of-the-Year voters, the movement so fluid it feels effortless.
Ending the game is a letdown — a third of players call it a quality cliff, and the collectible sprawl can sour the closing stretch.
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Diablo IV if
- You're good with always-online multiplayer and seasonal progression that resets.
- You want deep character builds and an endgame loop that rewards grinding.
- You can stomach paying for expansions on top of the base game.
Pick Sword of the Sea if
- You loved Abzû or The Pathless and want a meditative traversal experience.
- You have only 5-6 hours and value a tight, self-contained story.
- Austin Wintory's music alone justifies your purchase.
Bottom line
If you crave a long-term seasonal grind with complex builds, Diablo IV is your pick; if you'd rather have a beautiful, short meditation on movement, choose Sword of the Sea.