In any industry, it’s always the ones who are so passionate about something that end up creating the best products. In gaming, this holds true. The first two Diablo games were made by people who lived and breathe ARPG, which was evident in a recent panel. Unfortunately, we couldn’t say the same about the guys behind Diablo 4.
In an attempt to foster connection between the development team and the Diablo 4 community, Blizzard Entertainment has hosted multiple livestreams and showed a willingness to consider feedback, which has earned some goodwill among players. Unfortunately, the latest video threatens to unravel the studio’s latest efforts.
This video, which is meant to introduce the team and showcase the background stories of two dungeon designers, took an unforeseen twist. Instead of enlightening the audience on the development journey of the game, it fueled anger and controversy, with many in the community openly criticizing the designers’ gameplay skills. Figures like Asmongold, a notable streamer, expressed disbelief and sympathy, pointing out that the video did more harm than good by exposing the developers to unwarranted criticism.
From an outsider’s perspective, this may seem somewhat overblown. After all, game development is multifaceted. From narrative writing and art direction to sound design, not every developer’s role requires them to be proficient players. In this context, however, the backlash is somewhat understandable. The video displayed developers, directly responsible for designing the game’s encounters, struggling with fundamental aspects of their creation. This scene inevitably raises concerns: If the architects of the game don’t understand its core mechanics, can they truly deliver an experience that resonates with dedicated players?
It’s like hiring someone who knows very little about cars and putting the wheels of the latest production model to have them explain why a car is what it is.
To put it simply, watching the Diablo 4 development team play the game with such a glaring lack of passion highlights the issues with what was supposed to be a return to form for the legendary franchise.
This debacle further spiraled as more vocal gamers dissected the video. A point made by several critiques was that this video unintentionally highlighted what many feel is lacking in the current state of Diablo 4. While it excels in graphics, voice acting, and sound design, it seemingly falls short in essential ARPG elements that keep players engaged, such as itemization, crafting, and skill trees.
Keep in mind that the secret that longevity as a live-service title isn’t catering to casuals – it’s making sure that the hardcore players keep on coming back. Satisfying this relatively “small” community of players, who aren’t afraid to talk out loud, is what drives engagement and sustains a game throughout its lifecycle.
One cannot disregard the potential PR misstep in all of this. The decision to publish the video without considering the potential ramifications and community response speaks to a potential disconnect or lapse in judgment. It doesn’t help that, for some, this video came across as a superficial attempt to show diversity within the Blizzard team rather than genuine insight into the game’s development.
While it’s valid that not all developers or even anyone who’s part of a game’s development should be good at playing video games, we’re not just talking about hiring people – a public display like a livestream or a promotional video is the sort of thing that requires a certain level of gameplay proficiency and knowledge to avoid public relationships blunders, which is exactly what happened here.
Taking a step back, the real issue here isn’t the developers’ skill level. It’s about the perceived disconnect between those creating the game and their community.
When you have dedicated players pointing out flaws and suggesting improvements – essentially echoing what was demonstrated in the video – and these concerns go unaddressed, at least for the most part, it amplifies the sentiment of a gap in understanding.
Diablo 4’s turbulent journey barely two months into its commercially successful launch serves as a lesson to the other developers knee-deep into the development of sequels to fan-favorite titles. Moreover, this recent episode adds a new layer of complexity to the relationship between Blizzard and its community. Moving forward, Blizzard’s response (or lack thereof) to this controversy will be telling.
The hope is for a return to an open line of communication, genuine engagement, and a product that resonates with its intended audience.
