Diablo 4, announced back in 2019, is the next title in Blizzard's isometric action RPG franchise, and many fans have been ravenously waiting for more information since the last update from Blizzard. The developer has addressed many concerns from fans about various components of Diablo 4 like classes, quest structure, story, itemization, and more. However, there's one feature coming to the game which had been exclusive to console for Diablo 3 that is a real game-changer: local multiplayer. It was a great addition to the Diablo formula and its incorporation into the next iteration of the franchise is something fans should keep in mind.
Blizzard has been very focused on fan feedback during the development of Diablo 4, which is a good thing for such a community-driven game. And community is exactly why it's great that it's being incorporated into the next game. Blizzard already has a daunting task ahead of itself with the development of Diablo 4 and losing out on a feature that highlighted the D3 in an era of increasingly online-only multiplayer could have been a detriment.
Multiplayer Mayhem
First and foremost of reasons for the inclusion of local multiplayer in Diablo 4 is the simple fact that it's fun. Many players since the release of Diablo 3 on console have enjoyed being able to have up to four friends on the same system, crawling through dungeons and hacking and slashing their way through Sanctuary together. The immediate satisfaction of working together to mix up classes and attack types for maximum damage is highlighted for most players by having their teammates in the same room. Even without the knowledge of every class that will make their way into Diablo 4, many players are already pondering the possible mix-ups.
Additionally, multiplayer could be a way to help boost long-term commercial success for Diablo 4. Being able to try the game out together with a friend can lead to that person buying the game themselves. Same machine/console play is generally the only option for a potential player to try out a game before purchase. The Blizzard account system generally helps with this transition as it is usually easy to transfer characters between consoles to play both locally and online with friends, and this is especially helpful considering the seasonal events and progression in Diablo 3.
Local co-op was notably absent from the PC version of Diablo 3, as it's not really necessary for many PC set-ups, but PC players may be glad to know that it will likely be included in the new game. Controller support has been confirmed for PC, and given the simultaneous PC and console release of Diablo 4, that would suggest that both versions would have similar capabilities this time around. Blizzard has said that there will be "couch co-op," but some PC players are concerned because this term is generally applied only to console gaming.
However it's unlikely that with the simultaneous release of Diablo 4 for PC and console that there would be such a big feature missing from one version of the game. With development of Diablo 4 progressing at a "steady clip" according to the December update from Blizzard, it won't be too long before fans know for sure. The next big update for Diablo 4 will be featured at Blizzcon 2021, which will be free to watch online, and hopefully whether or not co-op will be standard feature for console and PC will be cleared up.
Diablo 4 is in development for PC, Ps4, and Xbox One.