Battling hordes of demons is undeniably thrilling. Yet, when you find yourself effortlessly mowing down hundreds of foes just 20 minutes into a loot-driven action RPG, something feels off. The excitement of growing stronger comes from experiencing each incremental gain in power, otherwise the chase for loot loses its allure. For many, this sums up the main gripe with Diablo 4’s latest season—it’s simply too easy.
Blizzard seems to be on the same page and is taking strides to address this in Season 8. Their aim? To crank up the difficulty while still preserving the joy of eventually becoming a demon-slaying powerhouse. In a stream earlier today, the developers delved into their plans to make the path from level 1 to 60 more challenging and rewarding, and how they intend to intensify the difficulty of late-game progression.
The game’s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, ushered in significant changes to the progression mechanics. In spite of this, “a lot of that progress has sort of fizzled out with players speeding through the content,” remarked design director Colin Finer. Players in the current season have been achieving max level in a fraction of the time it took previously, which effectively diminishes the depth of the early gameplay experience. To counter this, Blizzard is stretching out the initial journey, requiring more time to climb through the first 25 levels.
Moreover, the drop rate for Legendary items, the crème de la crème of loot, will be reduced up until level 60. In response, items from lower tiers, typically overlooked, will receive a power boost to bridge the gap. Finer expressed their hope that this adjustment will make leveling up feel “more rewarding and satisfying.”
Addressing the endgame, once you’ve equipped your hero and ventured into higher Torment levels for better loot, these stages are set to become more formidable. Blizzard revealed that a staggering 50% of players have hit the highest Torment level in just half the time compared to last season. “The philosophy is that the hardest Torment tier, Torment 4 in this case, should be an aspirational goal, ideally limited to about 10% of players,” Finer explained. Consequently, the leap in difficulty from one Torment level to the next will be significantly tougher in the upcoming season.
Seasoned players will also face fiercer endgame bosses. Instead of serving merely as rewarding loot dispensers, these foes have been revamped to truly test the mettle of those who have honed their characters to perfection. Three new adversaries will join the roster, and you’ll no longer need a summoning item stockpile. Each encounter is available at no cost, with vanquished bosses dropping chests that require a key to unlock. Plus, there’s a chance for Belial, the most formidable new boss, to unexpectedly join the fray.
Blizzard is giving PC gamers on Battle.net the chance to preview and test these changes next week on the Season 8 PTR, running from March 11 to March 18. The full release of Season 8 is scheduled for April 29.
