Diablo 4 has just completed its first PTR testing phase and fans are eagerly awaiting the release of Season 4. In the meantime, franchise head Rod Fergusson talks in an interview about how future tests will proceed. The shop, which has been receiving increasing criticism lately, is also discussed.
What’s the status of Diablo 4?
- After a difficult start, Diablo 4 is currently on a path to improvement. Most notably, the test for the upcoming Season 4 has received tremendous acclaim.
- The new season seems to improve everything players have criticized so far: items, endgame, and crafting. However, there are still a few criticisms.
- Blizzard has tested Season 4 for the first time with a PTR, which is why the release has been delayed. It now kicks off on May 14. Here you can find all the information about Season 4.
What the head is saying: In an interview with Windows Central, Rod Fergusson speaks. The conversation touches on the PTR, past seasons, and the shop. Fergusson is the head of the entire Diablo franchise at Blizzard and is somewhat of a controversial figure in the community.
A public test realm, or PTR for short, was a hot topic even at the launch of Diablo 4. Experts have long called for it, especially after the release of some seasons went poorly. The PTR was first implemented before Season 4, but whether this will happen again is unclear. When asked, Fergusson says:
We still need to decide on that. There are pros and cons to having a PTR. Season 4 is such a major change that we definitely needed more feedback than usual. When we released Season 3, we received very direct feedback […] We patched Season 3 in the first 3 days. So we can respond to such matters very quickly.
Rod Fergusson on the topic of PTR
If you test things beforehand, you take away the surprise from players, Fergusson says: “It can work for or against you.” That’s why the season theme of Season 4 was kept secret even in the PTR.
This very philosophy of releasing something untested and then patching it has, however, alienated players quite a bit. There was significant backlash on Reddit and other social media, especially concerning Season 1 and Season 3.
However, Fergusson’s statement regarding the shops is causing more trouble in the community. Here, the head defends the monetization philosophy, and that is not being received well.
We have already spoken with the developers about the future of the game:
Players feel betrayed: “That’s disgusting”
Diablo 4 monetizes not only through the initial purchase but also with an optional shop featuring cosmetics and a battle pass. The shop offers extraordinarily expensive skins and bundles that sometimes cost more than the game itself.
Before release, Blizzard promised that the earnable skins would be just as pretty as those in the shop. However, players now feel that the shop has significantly better offerings, not just re-skins, such as: samurai outfits, cool Lilith costumes, and more. Fergusson comments:
We want to find ways for people to use the shop but pay less […] But this is all cosmetic. [People] don’t have to buy anything there. […] Diablo is the ultimate power fantasy […] and there is no power in [the cosmetics].
Rod Fergusson on shop skins
They want to get a bit crazier with the cosmetics now, after everything was rather grounded and dark at launch – and they are also working on making more things earnable for free. However, the head does not go into detail on that.
On Reddit, fans are upset by this statement. They say: Blizzard lied when it said that free armor would be just as pretty as purchasable ones. One user states:
The comments about the shop are disgusting […] Their mentality towards it is disgusting and the interview shows that Rod is part of the problem. It’s not just the executives at Blizzard who are shoving this down the D4 team’s throat.
SingleInfinity on Reddit
Another user agrees that the concerns about the shop were brushed aside by the promises made before release – but are now back. After all, you really don’t have to use the shop, and it isn’t intrusive.
At the moment, Diablo 4 is back on a good track and is steadily improving, but the community remains extremely critical. Fergusson has previously spoken in an interview about exactly what is changing: Is Diablo 4 a new game with Season 4? That’s what the head says
