Blizzard is apparently planning on making a big change in how it is approaching Diablo 4, by moving away from designing content around players who rush through everything at top speed. Instead, the team wants to make sure casual players can still progress, even if they only have a few hours to play each week.
This was revealed in a recent Game File interview with Stephen Totilo, as reported by Lewis White on VideoGamer. In it, Rod Fergusson, head of the Diablo franchise, admitted that the game has been tuned too fast in response to content creators and hardcore players, which are often called “blasters.”
“There is a lot of pressure to feed the blasters,” Fergusson said. “The content creator who is an influencer or is a tastemaker will be out there saying, ‘There is nothing to do.’”
Since launch, Diablo 4 seasons have been created with fast-paced players in mind, to make sure that there is a constant flow of content. But this approach has apparently raised concerns that casual players were getting left behind.
This topic is not very new, however, as Fergusson has already acknowledged the challenge of balancing Diablo 4 in the past, for both hardcore speedrunners and more casual players. He wants progression to feel rewarding, even for those who only play a few hours a week. Instead of catering to the fastest players, Diablo 4 is going to aim for a more balanced seasonal structure, giving everyone something to work toward, not just the most dedicated grinders.
What This Means for Diablo 4’s Future
- Seasons will probably slow down, giving casual players more time to progress.
- Less pressure on Blizzard to rush out new content just to keep up with speedrunners.
- More focus on long-term engagement rather than short bursts of activity.
Even though Diablo 4 will not have annual expansions, as we recently learned, Blizzard has multiple expansions in the works and will continue seasonal updates, just at a pace that works for a wider audience.
The goal? A more balanced Diablo 4 experience for everyone, not just the fastest blasters.
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