Summary
The absence of non-combat pets inDiablo 4was felt by fans of its predecessor, and General Manager Rod Fergusson finally broke the silence on why the team decided against putting the feature in at launch. Pets inDiablo 3had the genius role of collecting gold, allowing players more up-time in massacring the forces of the Burning Hells. Though the sequel has purposefully slowed down its gameplay to align more withDiablo 2, many fans feel thisquality-of-life feature is missing inDiablo 4.
WhileDiablo 4’s Season of Blood attempted to fixa laundry list of issues that players have been complaining about since beta, there is still a long way to go. New boss fights were introduced to the game, build variety has increased tremendously compared to launch, and Malignant Rings will attempt to bring the most fun aspect ofDiablo 4’s inaugural season as an evergreen feature in Patch 1.2.2. Though Blizzard was tight-lipped on details at BlizzCon 2023, both regardingVessel of Hatredand Season 3, subsequent interviews have yielded plenty of interesting tidbits on the future ofDiablo 4.
“When we started out, we really wanted to establish ourselves in a very authentic way, a very grounded way." - Rod Fergusson
General Manager Rod Fergusson had aninterview with TechRadarconcerning the direction of the game, and when asked about the possibility of mini pets coming toDiablo 4, his reply was to never say never. “When we started out, we really wanted to establish ourselves in a very authentic way, a very grounded way," Fergusson explained, stating that the things that definedDiablo 3such as “big wings” and “mini pets” would have felt out of place in thedark gothic world ofDiablo 4that team painstakingly created.
“We get the desire [for mini pets] and we had fun with those as well. We like mini pets, we like to make all that stuff as well,” Fergusson declared, before adding: “But we wanted to make sure thatDiablo 4as sort of the reemergence – the tentpole version of our franchise – was coming in, in an authentic, grounded way that we could build from there. That’s not saying we’ll never do it, but it felt too early in season one.”
Though it remains to be seenwhatVessel of Hatredwill bring toDiablo 4, it will effectively be “season two,” and there may be ways of reconciling non-combat pets with the grounded aesthetic of the game. Having a crow, bat, or even a small imp follow the player around, collecting gold and materials in their stead, would add plenty of convenience toDiablo 4without ruining the tone that it’s attempting to evoke. Given that microtransactions play a primary role inDiablo 4’s monetization format, selling mini pet skins would also be a worthwhile angle for Blizzard to consider. Ultimately, players will have to wait until late 2024 for Kurast to open its doors and reveal what it has in store.
Diablo 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Diablo® IV is the ultimate action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or explore an expansive end game and shared world where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle world bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play, cross-progression, and couch co-op on Xbox.This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.
