Blizzard officially unveiled Diablo 2: Resurrected Friday during the BlizzConline keynote presentation. Diablo 2: Resurrected is supposedly a remaster obsessed with offering a faithful recreation of the original game, but that said Blizzard was not averse to making changes to ensure the Diablo 2 experience has all the tools necessary to succeed in 2021. In a recently released BlizzConline panel video, the biggest changes for Diablo 2: Resurrected were detailed.
Developer Vicarious Visions' biggest changes to Diablo 2 are the game's visuals. An entirely new 3D renderer for graphics was built on top of the core logic and gameplay of the original Diablo 2, allowing the team to replace all art assets with modern textures and 3D models. However, Vicarious Visions is going further than just updating the visuals. For example, the updated tech allowed the team to use dynamic 3D lighting. In an ever bigger change, some armor and item assets have been updated to more closely resemble their inventory icons.
The next biggest change has to do with Diablo 2: Resurrected's multiplayer. The way multiplayer works in-game, including how PvP, co-op, and trading works, is all the same. However, Vicarious Visions is using modern-day Battle.net to improve all of the structure surrounding Diablo 2: Resurrected's multiplayer. That means there will be lobby improvements, better server browsing, global servers instead of US West and US East, improved ladder seasons, and anti-cheat tech. It'll be the same multiplayer, but likely more polished and accessible.
Blizzard is also making some meaningful changes to certain in-game aspects of Diablo 2. One big change is the addition of a shared stash so players can share items between their characters without going into multiplayer or using a third-party. Another big change is automatically picking up gold, a change made because picking up gold can be annoying for console users especially. This can be turned off if players prefer.
Many other changes have been made for Diablo 2: Resurrected on console that the team didn't fully detail. That's due to the limitations of a controller for a game designed to be played with a keyboard and mouse. Changes go so far as altering abilities, like having to give teleportation and leaps a set distance since controllers can't quickly aim.
There are a number of other changes being made to Diablo 2: Resurrected beyond those mentioned. The in-game UI, for example, is redone, as is the opening menu and character select screens. What's important is that Vicarious Visions only added something where it made sense while not altering the original Diablo 2 experience meaningfully.
Diablo 2: Resurrected launches later this year for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.