In Diablo 4, some gamers are focused on rushing through the content as quickly as possible. At the same time, they complain that there is too little to do. Diablo head Rod Fergusson clarifies that he wants to focus more on casual players.
This is being discussed by hardcore gamers:
- The lack of content in Diablo 4 has been criticized since its release. In particular, the endgame is repeatedly mentioned as a point of criticism by the community. Especially players at high levels get bored quickly.
- In Season 4, there was some praise from the community as Blizzard changed some activities.
- With Season 6, the developers completely revamped the difficulty and level system and introduced new torment levels in Diablo 4. However, these were also criticized on the PTR for being too easy, according to experts.
For many casual players and gamer dads, the current pace, difficulty levels, and range of activities seem just right. Diablo 4 is also praised by some for its casual-friendliness – it’s said to be the perfect game to unwind. A message from such a casual player has apparently led Rod Fergusson to reconsider his priorities.
“We must not forget these players”
What does the Diablo head say? In an interview with Game File, Rod Fergusson, the General Manager for the Diablo franchise, discusses the direction of Diablo 4. Currently, the game is “very fast-paced”, which also satisfies the “Blasters” – those players who rush through the difficulty levels and activities.
The problem is that the focus is heavily on these fast players, while slower players often get left behind. Fergusson explains:
There is a lot of pressure to keep the Blasters satisfied. The content creator […] is out there saying: ‘There is nothing to do.’ […]
You start to worry because you think: ‘We have 12 weeks, 10 weeks. People need something to do, and if they finish so quickly…’ Then you wonder: ‘Okay, what can we do, and what do we think about the pace?’
Then a message from a casual player made him rethink. The player wrote that he loved the current season. He can only play for three hours each weekend, yet he still makes progress and it feels great. Fergusson thought to himself: “Yes, we must not forget these people.”
Changes might also be coming to the Battle Pass of Diablo 4 soon. According to Fergusson, the system in its current form is outdated. He finds the Battle Pass of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and 3 interesting and hints that his team might be planning something new:
What this specifically means for the future of Diablo 4 remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the current Season 7 will be extended because the next major update needs more development time than originally thought – Rod Fergusson confirmed this recently. You can find out more about it here: Blizzard announces that season 8 in Diablo 4 will start later and brings an ‘old friend’ into the game
