The News

Diablo IV, the latest version of a video game franchise that has gained millions of fans over its more than 25 years, has broken internal records for its publisher Blizzard and surpassed more than $666 million in sales since its debut on June 6.

The game combines elements of different parts of the franchise, from the dark and gothic atmospherics of fighting demons to an always-online approach where players can link up with friends and strangers alike to slay monsters.

The $666 million sales marker is a wink to the game’s demonic themes.

Rod Fergusson, Diablo’s general manager and a senior vice president at Blizzard Entertainment, attributed the initial success to the company’s willingness to work across platforms, while embracing different characteristics of today’s games and the older features of the franchise.

“We were really trying to reach the younger audience,” Mr. Fergusson said in an interview. The company was less worried about getting older fans who were used to the earlier Diablo games to purchase the latest installment, he said. “If you’re paying attention, you can see it in our marketing,” Mr. Fergusson added.