Diablo 2has long been considered perhaps the best title in theDiabloseries, defining the iconic franchise with its art, customization, difficulty, and PvP community. Many of these features were changed inDiablo 3, which was a good game in its own right, but altered much of the formula that fans loved in previous titles.Leaks have hinted at newDiabloGamesfor some time now, but now the wait is over and much more concrete information is available.
WhileDiablo 4andOverwatch 2were announced this year at BlizzCon 2019, many fans were expecting a remaster or remake of the belovedDiablo 2to also be announced at the same time. Leaks, rumors, and hype surrounding Blizzard’s seeming willingness to re-release some of their older games led many to believe thatDiablo 2would see some love this year. Unfortunately, those fans were left disappointed, with nary a peep surrounding the classic title mentioned alongsideDiablo 4. There are many reasons whyDiablo 2deserves a remaster, but it may be that expecting it to come out any time soon is a pipe dream.
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This time around, Blizzard may be attempting to recover from last year’sfiasco surroundingDiablo Immortal. After building up hype for newDiablotitles, many fans expected aDiablo 4. However, when the time came, Blizzard announcedDiablo Immortal, a mobile only title that left many fans feeling like they were misled. After coming to expect a new, full title for the PC, the announcement of a mobile-only game, no matter how good, came as a slap to the face.
It seems that Blizzard has learned from this mistake, however. They have recognized the desire of many fans for newDiablotitles, as well as a demand for caring remasters of classic content. Thesuccess ofWoW Classicmade many fans think that other classic titles likeDiablo 2might be up next.
In recent times, remasters of classic titles have seen a big uptick. Graphical upgrades and tweaks that bring some of the greatest games of yesteryear into the modern era of gaming have seen rampant success, andWoW Classicrevealed a huge demand for a re-vitalization of some of thegreat titles that made Blizzard what it is today.
Blizzard has already re-released some classic titles, but remastering old titles is a much preferable way to bring nostalgic games back into the limelight.Diablo 4is a continuation of modernDiablotitles, and will likely be a worthy successor to the franchise.
However, there is also something to be said for a return to the basics, andDiablo 2 Remasteredcould have been exactly that. Unfortunately,Diablofans will most likely be unable to experience the best of both worlds.Diablo 4will be asleek new continuation of Diablo 3’s potential, but there will be no re-imagined return to the origins of the series.Diablo 4will scratch the right itch for many, but others will have to rely on the original version ofDiablo 2to get their kicks.
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After thechanges brought on byDiablo 3, many players yearned for a way to return to the more grind-heavy, time-consuming, and therefore often more rewarding gameplay loop ofDiablo 2. The ability to experience the more unforgiving nature of older games often brings back fond memories for people who grew up in a time when games made far fewer concessions in the name of player convenience.
While many remasters of classic games have seen success by updating outdated mechanics to bring them more in line with modern sensibilities, many are of the opinion thatDiablo 2 Remasteredshould be a pure graphical upgrade and nothing more. Unfortunately, even this is unlikely to happen. There are several major challenges involved with updating and remastering a title likeDiablo 2. UnlikeWoW Classic, the developers cannot get away with re-releasing the same code.Diablo 2has not been live-updated in the same way asWoW, so there is no need to make a vanilla version available again.
It is also important to note that to create a modern version of the game and support it on newer hardware, the developers would likely have to significantly change many aspects of the game. The way that games are developed has changed drastically sinceDiablo 2came out. A remaster might have to rely on 3D graphics or an isometric art-style, but completely overhauling the way that the game is put together could pose significant challenges in recreating a faithful replica ofDiablo 2’s mechanics and feel. It is not as simple as re-skinning the old game with higher-detail textures and calling it a day. Unfortunately, the time may never come whenDiablo 2sees a loving remaster by Blizzard, and many fans will have to satisfy themselves with whatDiablo 4has to offer.
