Blizzard has issued the teaser for Diablo Season 36, and as expected, the community’s reaction is split and mixed with praise and criticism. The official Diablo Twitter account posted a cryptic “Arm yourself with knowledge! 📚 Learn what’s coming in the next season” to which a link was attached. In no time, the thread became filled with responses regarding the issues with Diablo 4, calls for a Steam release, and criticisms expressed regarding the recycling of content.
So, what’s the detailed plan for Diablo III in 2024? The title that never rests off the spotlight is poised to return for its Season 36. It’s quite remarkable once you lay it out. That’s more seasons than any TV show I can think of has gotten through. And yet, this applies to Diablo. The response was lukewarm, but it illuminated the fact that the franchise still has a fan base, even if they seem to be drifting towards the new and problematic Diablo 4.
Unlike the announcement tweet of Diablo 3 Season 36, which was met with silence, the rest of the tweet section was filled with contrasting conversations. ArcticFangs summed up the situation, one of the earliest, “Aah I see, another round of mostly old stuff as a season reward and what is so ‘exclusive’ with the same transmog set that started appearing ages ago and been rotated through at least 10 times now?” While the take may have been brutal, it wasn’t unfounded. At this point, players should really be expecting some fresh, new and exciting offerings, something which they are the complete opposite of. After thirty-six seasons, this is all Diablo has to offer.
Now, shifting the focus away from Diablo III, the conversation has been taken over by Diablo 4. One can notice the distinct pattern of “Better than D4” and “Still better than D4” in the comments which basically tells you everything about the current Diablo franchise. Additionally, GamingKarmig stated, “At least D3 does not have that DAMNED TEMPERING and MASTER WORKING. Those are the most annoying NRG mechanjcs Ive seen in a game… and of course the devs don’t listen.” The new title’s systems, especially the very tangible frustrations of Diablo 4, are dominating discussions about the previous title.
Let’s not forget Diablo’s Steam issue. CoryDeMo26 chimed in and agreed with a blunt “Yes please.” Assuming they meant Battle.net, SaymericHLX’s “Steam or nothing” came as a reply. Ever since their titles have been introduced on the platform, there has been mounting demand for Blizzard’s other games, including Diablo. We are well into the 2020s, and people are asking for their games to be on a single hub – instead of multiple launchers.
Noreasontofail quipped “season 36 for 36 players,” which is probably false but definitely got a chuckle. Marisabel_1974 translated “¿Y todavía hay gente jugando D3?” in English as “And there are still people playing D3?” followed by a thinking emoji. Both comments sarcastically express surprise on the diminished but still existing player base. Shanytc, however, states “Ah yes. Another round of character reset,” which is a direct indication of seasonal fatigue stemming from Diablo III. The wide reaction Geo expresses no surprise on players ‘still’ being in the game, but the prevailing cliché is wrapped with ‘with reservations.’
VincentSanchez reacted with “stop teasing us with season 36 and fix Diablo 4 already!” The frustration spills into the negative response coproixD gave to 4 recently: “Focus on fixing ‘old’ D3 and undelivered dual sense ‘new’ game support please?” displaying the concern that attention is misplaced and saying: Criticism: ‘old’ games are receiving attention, while ‘new’ ones that need more support sit untouched. The OnlineGam4r’s shout “Fix Diablo 4” stands as one of the most terse expressions alongside ‘Noble Six’ as the most vocal in the ‘old’ versus ‘new’ flamethrower.
While most of the comments were downright negative, some of them stood above the rest, providing optimism. The users “oyhchris” and “ugubear” noted opposite ends of the critique. Oyhchrismade an observation that, “This game still getting new stuff? Nice!” while “ugubear” cheered “I’M READYYYYY!!! 🔥🔥.” So, imagine a scenario where a lot of negativity exists, yet there are players who are anticipating demon slaying in Sanctuary for another season.
What stands out the most is the ease with which the season announcement turned into a representation of the entire community surrounding Diablo. The older players who have been with the franchise from day one, the new fans onboard from D4, everyone in between, and the middle ground all expressed their feelings, be it complaints or a touch of excitement. The discussion zoomed down even to specific game mechanics with MKEBucks91, who offered detailed proposals with tempering systems that would work better.
Honestly, I’m still surprised that after all these years there is new content for Diablo III. As for many other games, they would have been buried long before Season 36. Still, the community reaction reveals Blizzard’s need to quietly maintain their legacy games while dealing with the very real problems of their new games. Your average player isn’t a mindless consumer; they are very much paying attention, holding strong opinions, and throwing shade, sometimes in response to the company’s marketing tweets.
The thread shows exactly why the Diablo franchise is and has been for a while one of the most passionate and vocal gaming communities. Whether you’re excited about jumping into another round of rifts and greater rifts or you want to vent about the tempering system in Diablo 4, the franchise genuinely matters to a huge number of people. It’s just a shame Blizzard continues to delay the Steam release of the game.
