I am hopeful to play Diablo IV, when it is ready. In the meantime, if my NVIDIA Shield tablet is optimized to be able to play Diablo Immortal, I'll hook it to my HDMI display to play it.
However, I am very concerned about the term MMOARPG.
The gameplay videos I have seen from Bahjeera/Jen, Pamela Horton, and Kraxell show an exact copy of how Diablo III's environment and maps look like.
I don't think it should be called a MMOARPG, or if the intention is to make one (which I am sure is the intent) make it a true MMOARPG.
I need to explain my point of view here.
This is a game outside Diablo III, which should feel like a Diablo game. However, being an MMO, it should be a true open world of Sanctuary. A fixed outdoor world that resembles something akin to Zuldazar or Stormsong Valley -- but from the point-of-view of the camera on the sky looking down (like we know from Diablo II and Diablo III).
I put together the Bilefen map in Adobe Photoshop by knitting together the mini-map pieces shown in the gameplay video (Kraxell's). This does not look like a MMO open world environment to me. This looks like a copy of Diablo II and Diablo III's environment with narrow paths that zig zag from point A to point B.
I submitted a tweet to @Diablo to let them know my concern. If I am going to travel from Westmarch to Bramwell, I want to explore full zones as I make my way there.
For example, if you are in Stormwind and wish to travel to Loch Modan on foot, you travel through Elwynn Forest, then Redridge Mountains. Head north toward Burning Steppes. Cross through Blackrock Mountain, then Searing Gorge, Badlands, then Loch Modan. Immense landscapes. A true open world.
Of course, it doesn't have to be first-person view. It would be the same, but the camera on the sky looking down in an angle (like in any Diablo game). But still a true open world.
Bilefen as shown in the map below.... as I candidly tweeted to the @Diablo team, looks like a narrow spagetti string, trying to mimic Diablo III's environment. It is in no way a vast open world.
I want an open world like this:
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That said, the only thing I would really change for the difficulties is to make it harder to reach T6, I honestly think this progression should take months and I worry about the longevity of the game when people are farming T6 first week. I don't care how people play, I don't even care if you bot all day and fill your bag with the best gear possible because it doesn't affect me, I just want the game to succeed and be popular for years because I love Diablo.
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