Blizzard has announced some exciting adjustments for Diablo 4’s upcoming Season 8 that aim to shake up the game’s difficulty levels. Players have been voicing concerns that the journey to the endgame in recent seasons has been a bit too smooth, and it looks like Blizzard is ready to tackle these issues head-on.
In Diablo 4, the real adventure often begins once you hit the endgame. However, many seasoned players find themselves breezing through the initial stages just to get there quickly. They’ve figured out the quickest paths to reach the endgame, which, while efficient, isn’t exactly what Blizzard envisions for most of their player base. By keeping players engaged from start to finish, they hope to make the journey to becoming a hero more gratifying.
During a recent chat about the Diablo 4 2.2 PTR update, design director Colin Finer highlighted that some of the earlier game changes that came with the Vessel of Hatred expansion have become almost irrelevant. Players reached max levels at lightning speed during Season 7, much faster than in the past. For example, in Season 6, it took players about 15 to 17 hours to hit Level 60, but in Season 7, it was cut down to just nine hours. Blizzard recognizes that the initial gaming experience needs fine-tuning, particularly for levels 1 to 25.
In the spirit of making progression more rewarding, Blizzard will adjust the frequency of Legendary item drops on the path to Level 60. In Season 7, players were snagging a Legendary item roughly every three to four minutes—far too frequent for Blizzard’s taste. While these drop rates at endgame levels will remain unchanged, players levelling up from 1 to 60 will notice a steeper challenge with less frequent Legendary drops, making each find feel more valuable.
Even those who thrive in the endgame aren’t off the hook when it comes to heightened challenges. Achieving the highest Torment tier has been a walk in the park for many, and Blizzard plans to make earning this status more of an “aspirational” goal. Plus, to heighten the stakes even more, they’re bringing back a classic villain from Diablo 3, which should pose an exciting challenge for even the most skilled players. Diablo 4 Season 8 is slated to roll out on April 29, and players will then be able to dive into all these difficulty enhancements firsthand.
