Taking down hordes of demons is every action RPG fan’s dream, but doing so a mere 20 minutes after setting up your character makes the thrill feel a bit hollow. Gaining power should be a journey, something to savor as you grind for better loot. That’s where Diablo 4’s latest season hits a snag — it’s just too straightforward.
Even Blizzard can see it. They’ve listened and are shaping the upcoming season 8 to beef up the difficulty a notch, yet still hold onto that empowering journey of becoming a demon-slaying powerhouse. During a recent stream, Diablo 4’s developers laid out their plan to stretch out and enrich the path from level 1 to 60, and ramp up the challenge in the endgame.
With the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, changing the gameplay flow considerably, players ended up powering through content at lightning speed, Colin Finer, the design director noted. The speed with which players reached max level in season 7 was cut down significantly compared to prior seasons. To help preserve the early game fun, Blizzard is set to increase the effort needed to tackle the first 25 levels.
In addition to that, Legendary loot won’t just be handed out like candy en route to level 60. Instead, those items will be more scarce, while the often-overlooked lower-tier gear will see enhancements to keep things interesting. Finer mentioned they want the leveling experience to be “more rewarding and satisfying.”
Then there’s the endgame, the place in Diablo 4 where you refine your character and aim for those high-stakes Torment difficulty levels with their alluring rewards. These are about to get a lot tougher. Blizzard pointed out that half of the force in the current season managed to reach the top Torment level twice as quickly as before. For the upcoming season, they aim for the hardest tier, Torment 4, to feel truly aspirational, with only about 10% of players making it. Expect a much steeper climb between each Torment level.
Endgame bosses are due for an overhaul, too. They will no longer just serve as simple loot machines for players who’ve mastered their builds. Three new bosses are entering the arena, shaking things up, and while your bags won’t be drowning in summoning items as much, you can engage these bosses for free. Upon their defeat, they’ll drop a chest that requires a key to open, adding an engaging twist. Plus, keep your eyes peeled for Belial, a potent new boss looking to crash your showdown.
Blizzard is opening up a chance for players on Battle.net PC to jump into these fresh changes on the season 8 PTR, running between March 11 and March 18. Mark your calendars for the full release on April 29.
