Blizzard’s new Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred expansion is finally out, bringing players a whole new chunk of content for the studio’s latest ARPG. While fans sink their teeth into the game’s latest expansion and its new classes, the team is already looking towards the game’s future.
Blizzard has expressed a desire for new Diablo games to release sooner than prior entries, but Lord of Hatred’s release does not mark the end for the game. While Blizzard has not confirmed when the game’s next expansion will launch, the team is working on further seasonal updates and more game-changing additions.
In an interview with everyone’s favourite Diablo YouTuber Rhykker, associate game director Zaven Haroutunian explained that the team is currently looking at adding “aspirational content” to the game. While Diablo 4 has no lack of content, aspirational content would mean that players are actively working towards a proper goal.
“I’ll just say outright, I think the game needs aspirational content,” Haroutunian said, adding the caveat that whatever that content is shouldn’t “present itself as the sole or true completion point” of the game. Instead, there should be content that players are pushing for alongside the game’s so-called end point.
“There’s stuff in the game for all sorts of players types, which means not everything has to be for everyone, and that’s great.”
Diablo 4 associate game director Zaven Haroutunian
“I actually think Uber-Lilith is kind of a good example of this,” the game director said. “I actually think it was fine. I don’t know that we specifically set out to make it more accessible early on, I think it just ended up that way with a whole bunch of changes that we did and we were like, ‘ah, it’s close enough, whatever’”.
Haroutunian explained that the issue with offering players just an end-point challenge to strive for is that everyone must be able to reach it. However, with side content that is more aspirational, all players are working towards something that may actually take time and even skill to reach, and it offers something outside of seasons for players to fight for.
“What we’ve tried to do as much as possible in Lord of Hatred is create opportunities for players to make their own goals, their own aspirational goals,” he said. “Things like War Plans, for sure, but we also try to go as wide as we can with stuff as well. I know it’s like a weird thing to throw out there, but I can guarantee you there’s a bunch of people who are motivated to find every fish”.
This type of content isn’t just hitting Diablo 4, but Blizzard games in general. This level of thinking is the same thought process behind new World of Warcraft features like player housing, and they offer players more than just a base experience. “I’ve seen the [fishing] memes already, like oh, [it’s] the true endgame”, the director said. “That’s a win. There’s stuff in the game for all sorts of players types, which means not everything has to be for everyone, and that’s great. Like, to me, that’s very healthy.”
The reality is that a long-running ARPG needs goals that not every player will hit, and that not every player will want to try and hit. Haroutunian admits that previous versions of Diablo 4 have failed at this, and that’s why the team is now focusing on additional content that follows the same trend.
