Diablo Immortal is designed as a large MMO. Many content requires multiple players, including the troops (“Warbands”). These are even necessary to complete certain tasks. This is set to change soon.
What is this system? Troops, or “Warbands,” are similar to small clans. They are designed for groups of 8 players and are part of certain tasks or provide additional rewards, such as more loot during the raids of Diablo Immortal.
In an interview with the executives, they explained that Warbands should serve as an alternative for family groups to fully experience Diablo Immortal. However, the idea did not work out.
Since release, troops have been a point of criticism that bothers many players immensely. The requirement to find 7 other players to complete tasks does not fit into the mobile concept and generally disrupts the ability to play Diablo Immortal at one’s own pace.
Many fans have therefore only briefly joined troops for an activity and then left them again. For everything else, they would have clans. Now Blizzard wants to improve the system.
Here you can find everything you need to know about Diablo Immortal – in 3 minutes:
How will Warbands be improved? Game Director Wyatt Cheng explains on reddit 4 points that are problematic about troops and that need improvement:
- Progress in the game, such as in the codex or the hero’s journey, is blocked by Warbands because certain steps require a troop. This was already revised in August, but is set to be further improved.
- Currently, Warband raids require all 8 players to count as troop raids. In the next patch, the required number will be reduced to 4 players. It is not clear from the statement whether the required player count for the raid will be reduced in general.
- Troop rewards are often not worth the effort.
- Warbands do not offer “meaningful, unique” experiences. They want to try to integrate their functionality into clans.
The last point is frequently requested by the community. However, according to Cheng, it is not so easy to merge the systems. There are some unique contents that are easier to realize with troops than with clans.
Improvements to the last two points are expected to arrive in the next patch. Despite the improvements, players are still not satisfied – especially since Cheng also promises more or at least enhanced content for 8 players.
“Blizzard, please stop”
This is how players are reacting: Under Cheng’s post, there are complaints about the introduction of more activities for 8 players, although the problem has apparently been recognized. They do not need more activities, but more accessibility.
Diablo Immortal is simply too hardcore for what is supposed to be a mobile title. In such games, players want to just occasionally play and not have to organize regular gaming sessions. The user BorrorO writes:
I am confused about the direction.
For a game primarily developed for mobile, it’s already very hardcore. It forces you to log in often at different times, multiple times a day. It imposes multiple restrictions, forces you to do activities daily and to address something else once you reach those restrictions. […]
And as it seems, you are now bringing even more. I understand that you want us to engage, so we log in multiple times a day and spend money. But this game needs casuals to fill the servers. It needs to limit the grind to encourage play and maintain interest, but it must not overstrain and burn us out. You are now bringing even more painful points, more pressure to be regularly online.
I don’t understand this. This game does not need more daily activities.
There are also comments like: “Just stop it, Warbands will be a thing” or “Warbands will be the death of this game” (via reddit.com). There are also supportive comments and players who do not understand the fuss, but they are at least in the minority on reddit.
The mood is quite heated. In several posts, players mock the changes or complain about being forced into more multiplayer content:
The requirement for multiplayer content has been a major criticism of Diablo Immortal for a while now. At the top are the troops, closely followed by dungeons that can only be completed in groups from Hell levels onward. Only in this way can they obtain better set items. Many players would prefer to farm solo.
In general, it seems quite difficult for Blizzard to satisfy players at all. Recently, the company took steps against players who have cheated for advantages. However, this apparently was not enough for the fans:
Blizzard explains how they want to deal with cheaters in Diablo Immortal – players are not satisfied
