After conquering the main storyline of Blizzard’s Diablo 4, the real challenge begins – the endgame. However, since its launch, the community has expressed dissatisfaction with the late-game leveling and post-game content, deeming it “tedious.” Players have, thus, proposed five potential fixes to inject more excitement and enjoyment into the game.
In the initial stages of Diablo 4, players are tasked with leveling up their selected class and exploring new territories filled with unknown dangers.
A seemingly casual journey through a Dungeon could abruptly turn catastrophic due to a surprise encounter with The Butcher.
Such events and scenarios are abundant in the Sanctuary, keeping players engaged and motivated to attain the maximum level with every class.
Nevertheless, the endgame has been a consistent point of contention since the game’s inception, with fans criticizing the later stages for being monotonous beyond a certain point.
Consequently, Diablo 4 players have proposed several solutions to address this persistent problem.
Revamping Diablo 4 Endgame to Prevent Stagnation
A Reddit user, YouMayBeSeatedRL, listed the “Top 5 Things Needed in Diablo 4 for Long Term Player Enjoyment/Engagement,” beginning with a personal reflection on their 200 hours of playtime and two max-leveled characters.
The user highlighted that, despite the enjoyment derived from the game, the endgame tends to dampen the experience: “The game is beginning to run stale and I can’t see myself repeating the same tedious grind to 100 over and over and over without major quality of life changes and additional content beyond 80-100.”
The user suggested five improvements to enhance the endgame experience:
- Make every Aspect in the game accessible as a Codex Power, with the option to upgrade the Codex Power.
- Guarantee item affixes to bypass RnG.
- Introduce a World Tier 5 for Level 100 characters.
- Enable players to instantly clear their Paragon board without incurring any rebuilding costs.
- Offer more content variations and options for the endgame.
Other community members chimed in, with one player asserting that these issues indicate the game was prematurely released, and another criticizing the gold requirement for skill tree/Paragon rebuilds as “obscene.”
One particularly popular suggestion drew inspiration from Ubisoft’s The Division 2: “Division 2 has this cool endgame mode where you would climb a tower all the way to the top.
Could do that with Diablo 4 by having us descend through the layers of hell, with bosses placed in intervals. I feel like they didn’t utilize enough of the hell environment anyway.”
Blizzard has recently revealed their plans for Diablo 4 Season 2 at Gamescom 2023, announcing that new endgame content is currently under development.
This raises the possibility that some of the proposed ideas could be integrated into the game’s future updates.
Community Engagement Is Key to Diablo 4 Longevity
It’s clear that the Diablo 4 community is passionate about the game and invested in its long-term success. The suggestions provided by players demonstrate a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics and a desire for an endgame that remains engaging and rewarding.
Blizzard’s announcement at Gamescom 2023 indicates that the developers are actively working on new content, and it is crucial for them to consider the feedback and suggestions from the player base.
Incorporating these ideas will not only enhance the endgame experience but also foster a sense of community and player ownership in the game’s development.
By addressing the endgame’s current shortcomings and implementing quality-of-life improvements, Blizzard can ensure that Diablo 4 remains a beloved and frequently played title for years to come.
Diablo 4: A Closer Look at the Proposed Changes
To better understand the implications of the proposed changes in Diablo 4, let’s examine each suggestion in more detail.
1. Codex Power Accessibility and Upgradeability
- Current State: Players are unable to access every Aspect in the game as a Codex Power, limiting their ability to customize their gameplay experience.
- Proposed Change: Allow all Aspects to be available as Codex Powers and provide the option to upgrade them. This would offer greater flexibility and customization options for players.
2. Guaranteed Item Affixes in Diablo 4
- Current State: The game relies on Random Number Generation (RNG) to determine item affixes, which can be frustrating for players seeking specific attributes.
- Proposed Change: Guarantee certain item affixes to reduce the reliance on RNG and enable players to build their characters more strategically.
3. Introduction of World Tier 5
- Current State: The game currently caps at World Tier 4, limiting the challenges and rewards available to Level 100 characters.
- Proposed Change: Introduce a new World Tier 5, exclusive to Level 100 characters, to provide more challenging content and better rewards for top-level players.
4. Instant Paragon Board Clearing
- Current State: Players must spend in-game currency (gold) to rebuild their skill tree or Paragon board, which can be burdensome and discourage experimentation.
- Proposed Change: Enable players to instantly clear their Paragon board without incurring any costs, promoting experimentation and flexibility in character development.
5. More Endgame Content Variations
Current State: The endgame currently suffers from a lack of content variation, leading to a repetitive and monotonous experience.
Proposed Change: Introduce more content variations and options for the endgame to keep the experience engaging and rewarding for players.
Addressing Concerns About the Game’s Release
Many players have expressed concerns that Diablo 4 was released prematurely, as evidenced by the issues plaguing the endgame.
The requirement to spend gold for skill tree or Paragon rebuilds was particularly criticized as being “obscene” and indicative of a rushed release.
The suggestion to incorporate an endgame mode similar to The Division 2’s tower climb, where players descend through the layers of hell with bosses placed at intervals, was well-received by the community.
This idea leverages the game’s hellish environment, which many feel was underutilized in the current endgame design.
Diablo 4: Blizzard’s Response and Future Plans
Blizzard has acknowledged the feedback from the Diablo 4 community and recently announced plans for Season 2 during Gamescom 2023.
This announcement included the development of new endgame content, raising hopes that some of the proposed changes might be implemented in future updates.
While the specifics of the new content were not detailed in the announcement, the fact that Blizzard is actively working on enhancements is a positive sign. It shows that the developers are committed to improving the game and addressing the concerns of the player base.
The Importance of Community Feedback
The Diablo 4 community’s active engagement and constructive feedback are vital for the game’s continued success.
Players’ deep understanding of the game mechanics and their desire for a more engaging and rewarding endgame experience are evident in the proposed changes.
It is crucial for Blizzard to continue listening to the community and incorporating their feedback into future updates.
By doing so, they can foster a sense of ownership and investment among the players, ultimately contributing to the game’s longevity and success.
Conclusion: Diablo 4
While Diablo 4 has been well-received overall, the endgame experience has been a consistent point of contention among the player base.
The proposed changes, which include making all Aspects available as Codex Powers, guaranteeing item affixes, introducing a new World Tier, enabling instant Paragon board clearing, and providing more endgame content variations, are all aimed at addressing the current shortcomings and enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
Blizzard’s announcement of new endgame content in development for Season 2 is a positive step forward. It is imperative for the developers to continue engaging with the community and incorporating their feedback to ensure that Diablo 4 remains a beloved and frequently played title for years to come.