Unraveling the Mysteries of Diablo: A Journey Through Sanctuary's Dark Secrets

As the world turns according to Activision Blizzard and its Diablo IV, fans around the world waited patiently for the release of this game.  My friends and I were no exception.  We played the betas before the official release of Diablo IV on June 5, 2023.  What was our take on the latest chapter of Diablo’s saga?  Read on and find out!

Diablo’s First Run

When the first of the Diablo games was released it was January 3, 1997.  I was among the first gamers to buy it and was addicted almost instantly.  It took me less than two weeks to finish the story.  It wasn’t enough, though.  I kept going back for more as I experimented with all three of the hero options that were available at the time.

I also recall Diablo’s first expansion pack, Hellfire.  That was made available before the year was over.  The timing couldn’t have been better as it brought forth three new heroes for me to try out.  After finishing the story with the Monk, I moved on to the Barbarian, then the Bard.

While in multiplayer mode, I was among the “elite” players that earned a loyal fan following from fellow gamers who shared my addiction to Diablo.  We often grouped together before ramming through the game as a team.  There were friendships and rivalries built that still carry fond memories for me to this day.

Diablo’s Second Run

On June 28, 2000, Diablo II: Resurrected picked up where the first Diablo left off.  Again, I was among the first players to get my hands on this game.  Once again, I wasted little time finishing the main storyline and all of the side quests that came with it.  The first of the hero characters I used was the Amazon.  Later, I tried Paladin, then Sorceress, then Barbarian, and finally the Necromancer.

Just like the original Diablo game, I thoroughly enjoyed the single-player mode and multiplayer.  Some of us who befriended each other from the first Diablo teamed up again while we were addicted to Diablo II.

When the Lord of Destruction expansion pack came out, I did what any other loyal gamer of Diablo would do.  I played the two new hero characters that came with it.  First, it was the Druid, then it was the Assassin.  Needless to say, I enjoyed Diablo II as much as I did Diablo.

Diablo’s Third Run

About twelve years after Diablo II, Diablo III joined the family when it was first released on May 15, 2012.  This time, I wasn’t among the first players to get my hands on the game.  I waited until it was released on the Xbox One console in 2014.  Unlike the first two Diablo games, I wasn’t so eager to fork out money for a video game at the time.

I liked Diablo III as I played this with my husband as we both owned Xbox One.  We played the game together like addicts.  As usual, I dabbled in every character class that was available.  This particular addition to the Diablo family, plus its expansion pack, Reaper of Souls, was something I enjoyed very much.

Diablo IV

When it was announced Activision Blizzard was about to present Diablo IV, I have to admit I was surprised.  After all the negative press they received that included court battles, I wasn’t sure what to make of it.  Adding to my skepticism regarding Diablo IV was Activision’s direction as a company that turned the once awesome Call of Duty games into a disappointing shadow of its former self.  I was worried Activision would do to Diablo IV what they did to C.O.D.

After the beta testing and since the official release of the latest installment of the Diablo franchise, I was right.  The same recipe for disaster Activision threw into the more recent Call of Duty games was also thrown into Diablo IV.  This is where I now admit I’m not a fan of SBMM, at least not how Activision goes about it.

What is SBMM you ask?  It is Skill-Based Matchmaking.  According to Activision, SBMM is supposed to make the gaming experience seem fairer, at least at a multiplayer level.  Unfortunately, the formula they’re using has proven to be anything but fair.  It is biased and it is flawed.

A New Kind of Hell

What Activision Blizzard has done is introduce a new kind of hell to the gaming community with its SBMM system.  This began with Call of Duty: Black Ops II in 2012.  It was already proven at that time this type of skill-based matchmaking was ineffective.  In fact, many players complained about this, especially when engaged in multiplayer modes.

Instead of listening to the concerns of the gaming community, Activision blatantly ignored them.  This was really made evident in 2020’s Call of Duty: Warzone.  Ever since taking this action, the fan base of C.O.D. has taken a sharp nosedive.  Among them, most have been praying non-stop the acquisition attempt by Microsoft to gain control of Activision will put an end to what they see as an arrogant company that only respects the almighty dollar instead of the people who supported them for so many years.

The Activision team that exists now isn’t the same as the one that began the C.O.D. franchise.  This can also be said about its Blizzard division and the Diablo series.  Much of this can be blamed on the social pressures of the few who think their voices matter more than the majority’s.  Instead of sticking to formulas of success that work, they’d rather keep steering the freight train of disaster into the abyss.

When Money Talks

Diablo IV shares the same character traits as the newer Call of Duty games.  The general gameplay and visuals are great.  However, the experience would be even better if the entire Activision team reconsidered their approach to SBMM.  SBMM works on games like Riot’s League of Legends.  However, it doesn’t work so well with C.O.D.

Despite the flaws found in the SBMM-drenched C.O.D. games, it hasn’t deterred fans of Diablo to turn Diablo IV into the fastest-selling game in Blizzard Entertainment’s history.  This can be credited to the loyal fan following of the Diablo series. Furthermore, the successful beta runs did play a huge factor as Diablo IV showed something that’s been lacking from all of Activision’s camp for years.  The game didn’t seem so broken!

However, since Diablo IV has officially launched, complaints are mounting about its SBMM system.  The beta versions played compared to what the gamers are playing are not quite the same.  Just like C.O.D.’s Black Ops II, Activision cranked up the SBMM system to make the gameplay mode of Diablo IV more sweaty.

An increase in gamers who’ve purchased Diablo IV is voicing their complaints about the SBMM system.  Among fans of Diablo IV that looked into buying the game, they’ve since opted out.  They want to enjoy a game without having to sweat so much just to play it.  This is something Activision, as well as Blizzard Entertainment, seems to have forgotten all about.  However, as long as the money keeps coming in, they won’t care.

Honoring Diablo’s Legacy

While I don’t have any issues against SBMM, I do agree Activision’s attitude about the matter has been terrible.  They’re ignoring the most important element when it comes to the gaming industry.  It’s not about making a profit.  It’s about respect.  What has been observed since the release of Diablo IV is the respect level Blizzard Entertainment had with its fans has diminished the exact same way Activision has been slapping its fan base in the face for at least a decade.

There has been an increasing demand for a Diablo IV installment that has nothing to do with SBMM.  What most of the fans are screaming, for now, is the same formula Diablo III has.  That formula had the game offered at different difficulty levels and stages.  While Diablo IV does have the same, the problem is how badly SBMM has affected the overall game experience.

Granted, there are many gamers who don’t mind the SBMM at all and see it as a welcomed challenge.  That’s great for them.  However, the majority of the gamers who’ve been die-hard fans of Diablo since 1997 are not so happy with the direction Blizzard Entertainment took with Diablo IV.  It was something many of them feared as most of those players also followed C.O.D.

Fans have been voicing this to Blizzard Entertainment, hoping they have the ears willing to hear.  However, Blizzard belongs to Activision and it’s already been established that is one company that continues to play deaf and dish out the silent treatment.  So many fans (myself included) are hoping Microsoft does indeed assume full control of Activision.  We’re hoping Microsoft will clean house and not just restore C.O.D.’s legacy but Diablo’s as well.