In the first two betas of Diablo 4, we were generously rewarded with loot. However, this changed quite a bit in the third beta, which is being hotly discussed in the community.
Where does the dispute come from? Players of the first and second betas were delighted with numerous legendary items that came flying at them every few minutes. The world boss Ashava even dropped up to six legendaries when defeated. But that has changed now.
The drop chance of the popular orange equipment items has been reduced. Even after many hours in the game, we suddenly encountered them only rarely, much to the dismay of some players.
In the server slam, the final test before the release of Diablo 4, the drop rates were significantly reduced. They now correspond to what you will see at the launch of the game in June.
Loot is an important pillar of Diablo and is meant to incentivize play, especially in the endgame. What awaits you in the endgame is shown in the video:
“You are just too impatient”
What is the community arguing about now? While some are satisfied that they are not bombarded with legendary items, others are disappointed. The accusation from some players to the developers is: “Blizzard never finds a good middle ground.” (via Blizzard Forum)
Part of the community argues that it is less fun when there are fewer legendaries. Others find that this is exactly what they like about the games. In the overwhelmingly largest thread on Reddit, with over 5,000 upvotes and 2,700 comments, players are currently discussing the loot.
Many users remember games where they farmed for specific items for hours and felt immense satisfaction upon achieving success.
IAnswerQuestionsHigh writes: “The satisfaction when a legendary item drops far outweighs the numb feeling you get from endless legendary drops (like in Diablo 3).”
A user notes in his thread that some players probably forget how long it took in Diablo 2 to get a certain item. He asks why players want “a Diablo 3 in new clothes” and observes: “The number of casual gamers is damn high.”
A player then responds, who feels addressed as a casual gamer:
People who do not dedicate their entire life to playing a video game, who have to work, have families, have friends? If so, then I am one of them and I do not complain. […]
The game seems great, but at the same time, I do not want it to cater exclusively to people who play the game non-stop, as I simply have no interest in games that have the difficulty level of Dark Souls. I am not willing to invest my life in meaningless trivialities. Games are meant to relieve stress and have fun with friends, not as a replacement for my job.
For me, the solution lies in a customizable difficulty level that would provide players with unlimited time a more challenging game and lower drop chances, with the satisfying reward of knowing that they have mastered that challenge.
bigbramble via Reddit
The discussion continues through thousands of comments, with the sides sometimes hardening and even insults being thrown. Both sides receive pushback and have their supporters. The topic is extremely controversial.
Why is this a charged topic? Loot is the core mechanic of Diablo. Good equipment is helpful when it comes to assembling good builds. Individual items also trigger certain effects when equipped, which in turn help you in battles.
In earlier parts, grinding was a much larger part of the player experience. The famous Baal runs in Diablo 2 and the lack of personal loot made it necessary for players to engage with the game for much longer to properly equip their characters.
Today, Diablo is a game aimed at casuals, at least since Diablo 3. The hack ‘n’ slash is more accessible than, for example, Path of Exile, which is why it is so popular with the majority of players. The clash of long-time fans and those who came to the series later or have less time today happens more frequently as a result.
Throughout the genre, loot is an important topic, even if other mechanics differ fundamentally. If you want to explore further, you can find on MeinMMO the 10 best alternatives to Diablo.
