With Diablo 4, the main series of the franchise is also gaining more MMO features. Many long-standing fans reject this – especially the so-called “Shared World”. MyMMO author Maik Schneider was able to talk to the Diablo bosses about whether there are plans for an option to completely disable the feature.
Diablo 4 invited to the interview and with a view of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, I spoke with Joe Shely (Game Director) and Rod Fergusson (General Manager of the Diablo Franchise) about the new action RPG.
My first question revolved around the “Shared World” of Diablo 4 and whether it would eventually be possible to turn it off. In certain areas, you can encounter other players, which is not particularly well received by many Diablo fans.
Find out here what the bosses of Diablo 4 told me about it. More information about the multiplayer features is available in the video:
Shared World is part of the foundation of Diablo 4
Will there eventually be an option to disable the Shared World? Even though my interview partners dance around the answer a bit, I hear a “No”.
Why doesn’t one want that? The Shared World is an important core feature of Diablo 4. Certain things cannot be accomplished without other players – for example, the powerful world bosses.
But one still keeps an eye on the players who view the feature with skepticism. They have designed certain game aspects so that you encounter other players less frequently if you don’t want to.
This includes that you must complete certain missions during the campaign before the world becomes a Shared World. In social hubs, such as cities, you will always encounter others. Even after completing the campaign, there are other players everywhere in the open world. However, dungeons can be completed completely alone.
They made this decision because they see no disadvantages for the individual player. I then brought up the argument of immersion being disrupted when “HansWurscht69” runs through the image. Joe Shely refers to such players as “DancingBears” and states that they consciously accept this break in immersion because they expect more advantages than disadvantages from the Shared World.
Rod Fergusson added: The only reason to not implement the Shared World would be the fight for loot in a normal PvE environment. Since there isn’t any, he sees no real reason why there shouldn’t be a Shared World.
By the way, they are not quite sure how many players we can meet at most in the Shared World areas of the open world. Reports currently speak of 6 players, but they will keep an eye on the situation and make adjustments if necessary.
If you have any questions or opinions on the topic, please leave a comment. If you want to read more about Diablo 4, check this out: Diablo 4 reveals the German voice of Lilith, creating a delightful shiver: ‘Break your chains’
