Fans of the original Diablo 2 were delivered the game announcement they'd been waiting for at BlizzCon 2021. Diablo 2: Resurrected is a remastered and upgraded version of the classic ARPG for modern platforms, yet despite developer Vicarious Visions' pledge to recreate an authentic Diablo 2 experience, many fans question how far changes should go. Balance changes are a particular point of contention, but Vicarious Visions has no plans to go that far right now.
Speaking with PCGamesN, Diablo 2: Resurrected lead producer Chris Lena was asked whether there are any plans to do a "balance pass" for the game, in other words whether the team will change any of the internal logic that dictates loot, difficulty, or other in-depth aspects of the game. Lena said the team has decided "not to do balance changes," so Diablo 2: Resurrected will play with the same game logic as the original game.
The reason for this is, as Vicarious Visions has said word-for-word previously, that the team wants to deliver the "authentic" Diablo 2 experience. That's why it won't be adding microtransactions or major multiplayer features that aren't already available. That dedication to authenticity is proven in Vicarious Visions allowing Diablo 2: Resurrected players to import save files from the original Diablo 2, even if they're over a decade old.
However, there is a caveat. Lena said that there are no plans for a balance pass "right now," which leaves open the possibility of revisiting the decision at a later date. The context for that decision, according to Lena, is that it ultimately depends on what players say they want from Diablo 2: Resurrected in the future. The team at Vicarious Visions apparently has "a list of things they would love to do," but those changes aren't going to come unless players demand it.
This openness to adding onto or changing Diablo 2 isn't a topic that has been discussed by Vicarious Visions much in the past, but as both a creative and financial endeavor it makes a lot of sense for it to be in consideration. The team will have spent years working on this game, so of course it would want to build on that work. The possibility of adding expansions or other premium content also has to be appetizing.
What matters now, however, is delivering the authentic Diablo 2: Resurrected experience as promised. That's not to say there isn't an interest in future Diablo 2: Resurrect expansion, but players want the authentic experience first. What Blizzard did to Warcraft 3 in pursuit of change stands out in recent memory. Perhaps an optional patch or expansion after launch is in the cards, so long as Vicarious Visions has that conversation with fans before moving forward.
Diablo 2: Resurrected is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: PCGamesN