Spooked these Diablo fans with the announcement: the next PTR Diablo IV livestream would be on May 22, at 11am PT, and the fans in cyberspace have fought a frenzy. The tweet promised “a glimpse into what fresh Hell is in store,” which really can mean anything from new mechanics to yet another monetize-the-cheapest way of profiteering, or something that is actually worth talking about.
Now, the replies? Oh, the whole mixed bag in one go! Fans had a good time in there, who could have been excited at something like Horadric theming or NMD Escalations like @loatheburger. The cynics are in there, too; @helvetica369 follows up with “more mediocrity and greed incoming,” while the voice of @TheZearGuy says, “All the best looking gear is in the shop.” Yikes.
This slightly segued into the whole season-length issue; @KSB2215 continued to rail against Blizzard for “greedy 2-month season,” and @MerethRIFT snarked about an “emergency campfire” in reference to players crashing. And then @AaronClove25734 sarcastically declared, “Finally, I am able to buy more battlepasses and do the same seasonal content again and again.”
And then we have gameplay. @Sohl001 minced no words with minion system updates by saying: “Nobody uses Army of the Dead this season! It’s hot garbage.” @DODO1992PL keeps asking for Spiritborn buffs, whereas @BrandonJLarry just wants mouse and keyboard support on console. Priorities, people.
The real kicker came in the form of the reply by @mngfy: “…inte what fresh Hell is in in-game store.” Because Blizzard’s monetization: hell on earth.
So what is really coming in the PTR? Given Blizzard’s history, it’s either going to be the best thing since sliced bread or give another huge push to turning it into another Riot. The date May 22 is surely going to be circled on everyone’s calendar; believe it if it’s the hypetrain derailing or amp-up.
And if you find yourself stuck in Season 4 grind… well, you’re gonna need all the luck in the world.
