Diablo 4’s first seasonal update, Season of the Malignant, is set to commence later this month. However, developers at Blizzard have a valuable piece of advice for max-level players who find themselves with a lack of activities: “Take a break and engage in playing something else for a while.”
This wise counsel emerged during a recent Blizzard live stream, which delved into the intricacies of Season of the Malignant. Multiple developers gathered to discuss the forthcoming season’s fresh content, adversaries, and mechanics. One significant topic of discussion centered around the requirement for players to create new characters in order to participate in each season. This decision has sparked controversy, as it means that pre-existing characters cannot be utilized to embark on the new quests, for instance.
Diablo’s general manager, Rod Fergusson, clarified that this rule enables newcomers to jump into the game without feeling left behind. Additionally, it allows returning players to rejoin the game after an extended hiatus. Fergusson emphasized that “Seasons allow us to provide a clean slate for everyone” and ensure that players have a shared starting point, regardless of whether they have been playing for a year or merely an hour.
“When you’ve achieved all your goals and completed what you consider important, it’s time to take a break,” advised associate game director Joseph Piepiora. “We do the same.” He further elaborated that an ideal moment to return to the game is when a new season launches, offering fresh content to explore. “That’s exactly when you should come back and experience Diablo 4 anew,” he emphasized.
Another developer on the panel honestly shared, “I’ll admit that when the next World of Warcraft expansion releases, there’s a non-zero chance that I’ll be engrossed in playing that for a while. However, it’s reassuring to know that there will come a point when I can return to Diablo 4, and everyone will be on an equal footing.” Fortunately, at the end of the season, players can bring their new characters back to the base game, known as the eternal realm.
The Season of the Malignant begins on July 20th, which means your break spent playing other games is about to be interrupted. Discover everything we know about Diablo 4’s inaugural season to prepare yourself.
If you’re looking for something to play between Diablo 4 seasons, be sure to explore the upcoming PC games of 2023 and beyond.