Blizzard has hinted at yet another core mechanic in Diablo 5 seemingly inspired by Diablo 2. Notably, the in-development action-RPG will tackle level-scaling differently from the way it’s done in Diablo 4.
Game director Joe Shely revealed – in a roundtable interview at BlizzCon (via PC Gamer) – that Blizzard is aware of the desire to feel powerful in Diablo games, a feeling that the level-scaling system in Diablo 4 (and 3) somewhat betrays.
If you’re unfamiliar, automatic level scaling is when enemies in a game’s world keep pace with your own level. In other words, you’re never going to run into an area where enemies out level you, but similarly you can’t go back to the starting zone and feel how much more powerful you’ve become. This was the approach adopted by Diablos 3 and 4 – a somewhat controversial change from Diablo 2.
Said Shely: “Diablo is a game that, in many ways, is about your character getting stronger and when the monsters get stronger at the same time, especially outside of your control… You’ve filled the experience bar, you get stronger, you should feel awesome now: a wave of light pulses out from you, a bunch of monsters die.”
“And sometimes automatic scaling can get in the way of that feeling,” Shely added, “which is so core to it, and that’s why this is a really important question. And so, we’re going to take a somewhat different approach to that in Diablo 5.”
As to what that different approach will look like, Shely wouldn’t say, but did admit the team hasn’t fully discussed level-scaling yet.
That said, this is a clear indication that Blizzard is at least willing to toy around with the idea of changing a core system that’s been used by two successive Diablo games. And this isn’t the only Diablo 2-inspired mechanic: Blizzard previously said Diablo 5’s itemisation and loot – including more complex inventory-management – are also inspired by Diablo 2.
In fact, looking at everything we’ve learned so far about Diablo 5, it’s clear Blizzard is aiming for a more demanding experience, favouring the sort of player-friction and challenge that ARPG rival games Path of Exile 1 and 2 are known for – and that Diablo used to be known for.
However, there’s quite a wait before we see how many of those design ideas manifest in the final game: Diablo 5 isn’t due for release until spring 2029.
