The test server for Vessel of Hatred is currently running in Diablo 4 and players are trying out the new features and changes there. But one detail is particularly lamented by longtime fans of the series.
Since September 4th, you can test the new features that come with Vessel of Hatred on a PTR. Among other things, you will find the new difficulty levels that replace the world tiers, as well as the new leveling system with level 60 as the max level.
Even in the character selection, there is a change that particularly saddens fans who have played Diablo 2. A popular detail related to class selection is missing.
You can view the Spiritborn in the overview, but cannot select it. The new class comes with Vessel of Hatred:
What detail is missing? The selectable classes no longer gather around a campfire. Instead, you select the class via buttons and then see it on the screen. On the right, a small overview of the respective class’s gameplay is displayed.
In a thread on Reddit, the user Disappointedpeasant shares a screenshot from the character menu of the current PTR for Vessel of Hatred. He writes: “The classic character selection screen is gone.”
“One of the most iconic and Diablo-typical features”
What do the players say? In the comments, players discuss the change. The top comment with over 2,000 upvotes comes from PerfectlySplendid. He writes: “Sitting by the campfire has been over 20 years of nostalgia for me. It’s a real shame they removed it.”
Many agree with him and do not like the change. Some write that they are saddened by the change. radicallyrobert writes that the iconic campfire is the “heritage” of the players. The campfire is just nostalgic and a typical Diablo feature, says tooncake.
In the comment, AssDeepInZubats writes: “Damn. I liked how they sat around the campfire. Simple, but good.” And sean0883 sees benefits in the new design, but still has objections:
It would have been great to simply add the clickable icons. I can’t always tell the huntress from the sorceress on the campfire side. But they should have kept it, I agree.
The campfire has been an iconic detail of the game since Diablo 2 – especially since that part is considered a highlight of the series and was even successfully remade with Resurrected. After Diablo 3 had no campfire, the feature
was a huge joy for longtime fans upon its introduction.
Why was this changed? There is no statement yet. Some users speculate in the comments of the thread that the change is related to the new class. Just_a_square writes: “The Spiritborn is probably exactly the reason they did this: They might not have wanted to redesign the campfire to integrate the new class.”
ExaminationUpper9461 also seems disappointed: “Really, what the hell? The campfire was such a nice nod to Diablo 2. It’s a small detail in the grand scheme of things, but still, damn… Couldn’t they have just slid it aside to include the new class?”
And cokyno asks whether Blizzard is now also changing the name of the livestreams. Because the streams in which the developers present the new features and answer questions from the community are called “Campfire Chats”.
Other changes and features, such as the new group finder, are well received by the community. An expert has already categorized some upcoming features before the PTR and believes that Diablo 4 is increasingly resembling Diablo 3. The difficulty levels and the new leveling system of the glyphs remind one of the older part of the series. The expert says: Diablo 4 is taking on its role as the successor to Diablo 3.
