It looks like Diablo 4 is living up to the franchise's reputation, albeit in one of the worst ways possible - item and gold duplication, an exploit as old as Anu itself.

Earlier today, Blizzard temporarily disabled player trading in Diablo 4 due to rampant abuse of the duplication bug. To make matters worse, this wasn't a complicated cheat requiring deep coding knowledge; rather, it's easily activated for something so game-breaking.

The process is simple: it involves a player initiating a trade with another, dropping the items or gold into the trade slot, then forcing a sudden client closure only to relog into the game. The result: those items will magically appear in both players' inventory.

Suspension of Trading Notice
by u/SinfulScribe in diablo4

Diablo 4, the latest in the revered franchise, is a realm of demonic battles, treasures, and economic trade. The in-game economy is crucial, both for the player's progress and for establishing a balanced multiplayer environment. However, when you have duplicity in the game, it's not just demons you're battling, but cheats as well.

It's impossible to overstate the inherent danger carried by the potential to destabilize the in-game economy. Picture an in-game market flooded with duplicated high-value items, bringing about inflation and trivializing everyone's efforts. To address the issue, Blizzard suspended all player trades until they could mend this gaping economic wound.

Anyone found guilty of exploiting this glitch is in danger of facing penalties outlined in the game's End User License Agreement, which includes potential bans and suspensions. A ray of hope though for those who might have stumbled upon the exploit inadvertently: Blizzard assures they won't be penalized, with the distinction made through a player's trade history.

But for the seasoned Diablo player, this instance of "duping" must feel like déjà vu. The series has battled with this kind of glitch over its lifespan. While the reasons for its perennial existence might be complex and deeply technical, one thing's clear - every time it appears, it's a colossal thorn in both the developers' and the players' sides.

Blizzard's announcement to suspend trading, while absolutely necessary, wasn't received without criticism. A section of the player community expressed dissatisfaction with the game's trade mechanics. Some opined that the trading system, as it stands now, is laughably deficient. They argue that it's been outsourced to third-party platforms, making it an easy target for real-money trading (RMT) and bots, further muddling the game's economy. Others criticized the company for the inflated gold economy in the game, not to mention the obscene amount of in-game currency means that it's near-impossible for Blizzard to determine whether or not it's been duped.

Furthermore, with instances of accounts getting banned for transacting with RMT gold, a genuine concern has risen. Is Blizzard competent enough to separate the scammers from the innocent victims?

For now, Blizzard's intent is clear: it aims to rectify the present exploit to ensure a balanced and fair play environment.

While the Diablo franchise, and most especially, Diablo 4, is no stranger to blunders, problematic macrotransactions, as well as a horde of issues, the resilience and responsiveness of the development team, at the very least, deserves kudos.