History ShoutOut / DiabloIII

* There is an event in Act 1 that is titled [[DefenseOfTheAncients The Last Stand of the Ancients]].

* One mini boss in the ''Reaper of Souls'' expansion is named [[ASongOfIceAndFire Clawgane the Mountain.]]
* The flavor text for the sword Exarian is a clear allusion for a well known [[KingArthur king]] and his sword.

* The three Brothers of the Inquisition who spawn for the Templar Inquisition event in Act I are Maesters Julius, Gnaeus, and Licinius. They are named for Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, and Marcus Licinius Crassus, the three men who made up AncientRome's First Triumvirate.

** ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' is the source of "Her?", the title of the achievement for defeating Adria in Act V.

* A legendary bow's name is "Etrayu". Now, exchange the letters "a" and "e": you get "Atreyu", one of the heroes of the ''Literature/TheNeverendingStory'', whose weapon of choice was a bow. If you had any doubts about it, the item's description leaves no ambiguity:

* As usual, the achievement list yields a whole bunch of references. A crowning example of which is for purchasing all the stash upgrades: [[VideoGame/{{Portal2}} "Space, I love space!"]]

** [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Shut Up and Take My Money!]]
** [[Music/IronMaiden No More Lies]].
** [[Series/ArrestedDevelopment Her?]]
* The Treasure Goblins - Pesky diminutive midgets with sacks of loot which you literally beat said loot out of -- are doubtlessly inspired by [[GoldenAxe a famous hack-and-slash fantasy brawler]].

* The Witch Doctor has a skill called [[StarCraft FireBats.]]
** And another called [[ArrestedDevelopment Lob Blob Bomb.]]

* There is a legendary spear called [[ThreeHundred The 300th Spear]].
** There was a shield to go with it called the Phalanx Lock, but it seems to have been removed.

* The [[Film/TheThreeStooges Three Brothers]] at the Drowned Temple and the "Nyuck Nyuck Nyuck!" achievement.

* Covetous Shen strongly resembles [[Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina David Lo Pan]] in mannerism. Unsurprising, considering he is voiced by James Hong himself.
** You initially find Covetous Shen trapped inside a barrel. If you wait long enough before rescuing him to hear all his dialogue, you get an achievement called "Big Trouble in Little Barrel" which just underlines the reference.
* In the deserts of Caldeum, there's a [[Series/{{Lost}} shipwreck called the Black Rock]].
** You can also get Black Rock Ledger Pages -- but only pages 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42.

* Possibly a coincidence or an obvious play on words, but there's an achievement called [[Series/GameOfThrones Imp Slapped]].
** Also a reference to the game ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper'', where you could slap your Imp workers.

* The three Brothers of the Inquisition who spawn for the Templar Inquisition event in Act I are Maesters Julius, Gnaeus, and Licinius. They are named for Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, and Marcus Licinius Crassus, the three men who made up UsefulNotes/AncientRome's First Triumvirate.

* The three Brothers of the Inquisition who spawn for the Templar Inquisition event in Act I are Masters Julius, Gnaeus, and Licinius. They are named for Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, and Marcus Licinius Crassus, the three men who made up UsefulNotes/AncientRome's First Triumvirate.

** [[ArrestedDevelopment Her?]]

* There's a walking tree called [[TheBlackCompany The Old Man]].

* The Monk has a skill called Exploding Palm. The key feature of this attack is that the victim [[LudicrousGibs explodes]] if the DOT kills them (later edited to apply to any damage while the debuff still applies). Four words only: [[FistOfTheNorthStar You are]] [[YouAreAlreadyDead already dead.]]

* Adria was bound to attract more than her share of "witch" jokes in the boss achievements, but [[Film/TheWizardOfOz "Really Most Sincerely Dead"]], which you get for killing her in Hardcore Torment mode without crowd-controlling enemies, takes the cake.

* The potentially PS3 exclusive item The Hero's Journey are two scarfs from the characters from the game Journey.

* One fairly common name for an Elite monster is "[[Film/{{Ghostbusters}} Zuul]]".

* In one conversation, the barbarian mentions that he was born on a battlefield. [[ConanTheBarbarian Another famous barbarian was also born on a battlefield.]]

* Exploring [[spoiler: Whimsyshire]] might have you meet [[LeagueOfLegends Annie's]] [[http://i.imgur.com/lz8ak.jpg teddy bear]].

* The "Forlorn Farm" random event is a clear ShoutOut to ''RedDeadRedemption''.

* The Legendary hammer Odyn Son, which [[NorseMythology almost needs no explanation]].

* There's a unique Ghastly Gravedigger with the name Digger O'Dell and subtitle "must be shoveling off." This is a reference to a 1940s radio sitcom called ''TheLifeOfRiley''. Apparently nothing is too obscure for Blizzard!

* With regard to the expansion's new Witch Doctor skill, Piranhas, the third rune ability gained is called [[Film/{{Sharknado}} Piranhado]].
* One conversation with Covetous Shen concerns getting lost in the wilderness without food and water:
--> '''Covetous Shen:''' "I was lost in the Dry Steppes. They don't come by their name lightly! No water, and the sun! [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings An unbearable, unblinking eye!]]"

* [[{{Hobbits}} Boggits]] are normally peaceful, but can become violent under [[Literature/LordOfTheRings the influence of magical rings]].

* The Barbarian weapon [[WesternAnimation/AliBabaBunny Hassan]] [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Chopper]].

* A giant spider called [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Zhelobb]] the Venomous
** Additionally, the Horadrim are likely a reference to the Haradrim, Men loyal to Sauron during the War of the Ring.

* One of the whining NPCs in Westmarch is named [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_Vermilion "Lord Vermillion"]].

* An early quest is called [[VideoGame/LegacyOfKain "The Legacy of Cain"]]. There is also a unique Wraith enemy called [[SoulReaver Raziel]], and one type of curvy-bladed sword is called [[SoulReaver ''Reaver'']].