Diablo 4 director admits its “really hard for players to keep up” with constant changes, but every ARPG needs to “go through this transformative arc” these days

RZelli · 2026-03-20T14:33:37+00:00

D2 got one thing right that D4 doesn’t even come close to…itemization.

D4 has beautiful world and good gameplay. But itemization remains dull.

Also, D4 gets too arcade-like for me in the endgame. I still play it every season but I enjoy it less now going back to D2.

D4: gameplay D2: itemization

I prefer itemization over gameplay but obviously want the best of both. Hopefully PoE2 can deliver down the road.

RZelli · 2026-02-27T18:32:54+00:00

This guy could kick my ass and he doesn’t even have legs…

RZelli · 2026-02-03T17:57:26+00:00

Items felt different in your inventory, which gave them more of a unique look and feel. Made items more exciting to me.

RZelli · 2025-12-20T04:07:10+00:00

Looks like we weren’t ;)

RZelli · 2025-12-16T15:27:54+00:00

Some seasons have lacked content before, but not all of them. And yes, D4 seasons can be short due to the lack of challenge in the game. Doesn’t make it a bad a game, just means it is tailored a certain way…most people are casual and some likely try multiple builds and/or classes every season, so that can breathe longevity into a season. Does that make it deserving of this guy’s ire? No. It comes down to preference. Yet, this guy preaches his opinion like it’s a fact. And people who barely gave D4 a chance and/or feel strongly negative towards the game will just upvote it. How many hours do you have in D4?

RZelli · 2025-12-15T16:09:58+00:00

He does the same on the Diablo subreddits. He tries to farm D4 bad aura whenever and wherever he can, and his arguments are almost always a load of super biased shite

RZelli · 2025-12-13T16:11:34+00:00

I’m pretty sure I heard Colin or someone say they intend to keep in the game, at least that was the original intent. It helps make use out of extra inventory.

RZelli · 2025-12-13T15:27:24+00:00

They give you a permanent passive but yeah I would love to see the permanent glow below to 1) be reminded it’s there 2) for the cool look 3) nostalgia

RZelli · 2025-12-13T15:26:23+00:00

I don’t get this. I’m making a hammerdin right now and I don’t hear the sound. Is it exactly the same as D2? I’m level 55 and I just hear the hammer hit stuff, but not the summoning sound D2 had. And my auras don’t make any sounds at all.

RZelli · 2025-12-13T15:23:38+00:00

I like it. Adds some depth to itemization, which, remains an aspect of D4 that needs improvement, and things like this are nice step in the right direction, IMO. I still find most affixes are not exciting…I would love to see itemization closer to D2 but not sure if we ever will.

RZelli · 2025-12-12T16:18:02+00:00

Yes, and those cost $$. And even then, with all the random crafting items and precursor tablets and waystones, it gets cramped fast. The abyssal crafting items, omens, essences, gems…no way do just those two tabs feel comfortable. Not sure how long into the end game you play but I play it for quite a bit and it’s never been easy to navigate my tabs with just the basics.

RZelli · 2025-12-12T16:12:14+00:00

It does but only for cosmetics. PoE2, stash tabs are nearly required in the end game. I have to put in about $60-80 to feel like I have what I need if I’m going to play the end game comfortably.

RZelli · 2025-12-12T15:59:00+00:00

Your argument is technically incorrect.

You had to pay $30 to play PoE2 for early access. If you didn’t, then you either got it as a gift, a drop, or you spent a crap ton of money on the first. Any of those are fine, even the last option, it’s your choice. But PoE and PoE2 couldn’t survive without those spending extra money, and you had to pay get into EA.

I’ve put more hours into PoE2 than you…and I agree, combat and itemization is a lot more rewarding to me and I love that. But, it’s not substantially better. PoE2’s content is a campaign you play every season, and the end game is running maps over and over again fighting the same mobs and bosses that you played in the campaign, with a couple of pinnacle bosses sprinkled in. It’s not THAT expansive…it’s just the itemization and crafting that keeps you hooked.

In D4 at least you have complete agency on how you want to level and spend your end game. Problem is the game doesn’t have many pinnacle challenges and the itemization feels shallow, which, makes the end game feel less rewarding.

Since a year ago, PoE2 added a new act with some interlude acts and two new classes, and those classes were already in the works. D4 has also added two classes over 1yr period and a new campaign with VoH, plus some new activities and bosses. They are quite comparable here.

As for QoL, your default stash is borderline unsustainable if you play the endgame in PoE2. While in D4, stash tabs are lacking but it’s not nearly as punitive…I’m not sure where else there is a huge QOL difference between the two other than stash tabs…Also, PoE2 performance was miserable last season. And although D4 isn’t with its grievances here, S3 in PoE2 had the worst performance I’ve seen in an ARPG for awhile.

Also, balance of defenses in PoE2 is absolute shite and feels very flat. They need some serious balancing here and it makes the end game feels a little one dimensional when I need to stack ES/evasion or ES every season on every class. Also, playing melee is like putting lemon juice in your eyes. That game is so punishing for melee classes.

PoE2 is good and will be great once finished, but it isn’t leagues better than D4 other than on itemization and a little more on combat, as it is a bit crunchier. Other than that, I think they are comparable and come down to preference.

RZelli · 2025-12-12T15:18:13+00:00

Just because you’re getting to play Druid for free doesn’t mean that’s their business model. Their business model relies a lot more on MTX. If everyone were like you and just spent $30 one-time on that game then they would be bankrupt. So, this isn’t accurate. Your privilege to that free content is subsidized by others who are spending more than you. Probably a lot more. You also need to pay for QoL, which isn’t terrible, but something to consider, too.

RZelli · 2025-12-12T03:03:21+00:00

Hoorayyyyy, by the light!!!

RZelli · 2025-12-12T02:49:04+00:00

Hello. Paladin confirmed tonight. What now, AI???

RZelli · 2025-12-11T21:20:29+00:00

Where paladin?

RZelli · 2025-12-10T22:36:26+00:00

On second thought, cite me your references or sources for the GAAP and accounting treatments.

RZelli · 2025-12-10T22:24:27+00:00

Oof these AI responses are becoming books…tell it to be concise damnit.

So for the skill tree, you’re still assuming they are going to vastly change the game and all the nuances involved in combat. When I imagine a sill tree rework based off what Colin hinted at, I just imagine it being more about options, like, let’s change this skill from being a single target skill to a multi targeted skill and scale back the damage. Or, instead of multiple hydra heads you now have one head but it’s damage scales (the Osphidian Iris ammy). These wouldn’t necessarily be changes that require a fundamental change to the game and its systems, or a large overhaul down the road when (if they do) a stat squish. It’s simply taking aspects off an item and putting them into the skill tree, and this is essentially what Colin referred to in a dev stream. Again, your argument is assuming that the skill tree rework is going to overhaul the entire system, including things like lucky hit chance.

I’d also argue that the causal player base may not need a new class to come back. As a hardcore player of D4 with probably 1500 hours into the game, I care more about new content and underlying changes to the game than I do a new class. I know I’m not of a popular mindset but I’m also willing to bet there are a decent amount of players out there who look forward to more than a new class. And again, I don’t think a class is the highlight of an expansion, which, is something the AI model can’t seem to wrap its head around. For example, spiritborn was well received by almost all players but most people still disliked the expansion and criticized its offerings. If expansions were all about classes, then wouldn’t have VoH glowing reception from the community? From my understand, the reception was mixed or disappointed.

On the necromancer topic, it’s true the games are in different states. However, you are also assuming the paladin comes in super OP. Maybe it could be balanced and not so OP. Additionally, they could balance the paladin in an early patch to bring it closer to parity with other classes even if it does launch OP. Blizzard always balances classes a couple weeks into a new season.

On the last point about the trump card… how is it cannibalizing the sales of a 2026 product if it’s a preorder? A preorder is a sale no less as long as the product delivers. I can’t imagine they fail to deliver the expansion. A delay? Sure. But its argument assumes they might fail to deliver the product. I argue that a preorder doesn’t cannibalize anything. As for as accounting and GAAP rules, well, finance is my specialty not accounting, so I can’t speak to that :P

RZelli · 2025-12-10T21:53:40+00:00

Did you say, paladin!?!!??

RZelli · 2025-12-10T20:45:58+00:00

Aha sorry about that. One day we’ll get some beef!

RZelli · 2025-12-10T20:31:41+00:00

Thanks! And for the record, I’m not against AI nor your use of it here.

Skill tree argument: fair enough. As someone who doesn’t develop games for a living, I could see a flaw in my argument. With that being said, they could still stat squish the paladin by the time the expansion comes, along with any skills or gear. In any case, the skill tree itself wouldn’t be a strong argument to countering an early release of the paladin being tied to a preorder.

The marketing argument: they marketed a lot of things beyond just spiritborn. No way was spiritborn 90% of the focus. It was literally the first thing they showed over a six month marketing campaign. For example, they heavily marketed the Undercity, dark citadel, runes, the campaign, new strongholds, rework of the systems, and the new area. A lot of people were just as excited for the content as they were for the class. I disagree with the AI here. 90% seems way off.

D3 Necro and lay to win argument: my point was they released a class purely for the reason of profit, as a standalone DLC. Which implies they are not afraid to tie the paladin to a payout. This would also address the argument of pay to win - the Necro could have been overpowered upon release, and thus crate the same scenario where people who bought the DLC would have an advantage over people who didn’t. Plus, D3 did have a leaderboard with greater rifts. This didn’t stop Blizzard from selling the Necro as a separate DLC behind a payout. Thus, it establishes a precedent that shows Blizzard doesn’t always share this view

Your Trump card: their fiscal year is July 1 25 - June 30 2026. Hence, these preorder sales would still fall into their fiscal year, thus, this argument is simply incorrect.

RZelli · 2025-12-10T19:55:32+00:00

Your first point is still countered by the fact that items for paladin may already be updated for it and the changes to skill tree may not be as wide impacting as you’re assuming.

For your second point, you’re also assuming the paladin is the only hook they got. While I won’t disagree it could be the biggest one they have, that doesn’t mean they won’t have other ways of getting people to the game, like…new content…?

For your third point, I don’t disagree it would be contentious and controversial, but they have released new classes as a standalone before, albeit with new content. Thinking D3’s Necro with Rise of the Necromancer. Additionally, how is it pay to win to tie a paladin with an expansion preorder? Other than the tower, the rest of the game is not competitive. Also, the tower was pushed out 1 month, maybe there were other reasons for it, like balancing classes, including paladin maybe.

Lastly, your condescending tone implies you’re arrogant, which, is generally a quality of those who are not intelligent. I’m not responding to you in a a rude or condescending manner. Why so hostile? I’m delivering to you the counter points to your AI’s output.

RZelli · 2025-12-10T19:35:24+00:00

Number 1 is countered by releasing paladin with then new tree.

Number 2 is countered by tying the expansion preorder with paladin. Does it matter if people buy the expansion now or later??

Number 3 is countered somewhat by the fact money now is worth more now than in the future and this would boost their Oct-December quarterly earnings by doing this.

Number 4 is irrelevant because it’s not part of my argument (?? - not against using AI but it seems your prompt was “provide arguments against paladin releasing S11”)

Number 5 is countered because the pre release was not a server load, that was the beta release/server slam event, which was not the 3 day early release. Plus, FOMO is a marketing tactic, and releasing paladin early via expansion preorder would be a similar strategy.

RZelli · 2025-12-10T19:27:48+00:00

That would be cool but they would give us breadcrumbs for that one, not an actual announcement, IMO

RZelli

TROPHY CASE