India, Sept. 14 -- Diablo 5 is making an unusual break from one of the series' oldest habits. Instead of sending players back to towns and other fixed safe zones, Blizzard plans to give them a traveling caravan populated by followers.

The change could affect far more than where players manage downtime. The caravan may become Diablo 5's main bridge between fast action RPG combat and the character-driven storytelling usually associated with traditional role-playing games.

Blizzard revealed that Diablo 5 will not rely on conventional towns or safe zones. The caravan will instead travel with the player through Sanctuary, providing a recurring space for interacting with followers.

Narrative director Jennifer Hepler has connected the idea to...