It turns out the Diablo 4 team didn't quite bring everything to bear in Season 4's Public Test Realm, as there are "a few small" extra items to come at launch.
03.04.2024 - 17:37 / gamesradar.com / Iain Harris
Diablo 4's new public test realm has come just at the right time, improving the mood of the RPG's community greatly as Season 4 appears on the horizon.
Close to one year since Diablo 4, the road has been promising yet bumpy. Launch brought a solid foundation not without the odd crack – the combat loop of popping enemies for loot remains moreish, though a lack of variety stings, especially in the late game regarding dungeons. The unpopular Season 1 was designed alongside the base game so reactive feedback didn't appear in earnest until Season 2. While the stage was set for that momentum to continue in Season 3, new content and further changes didn't land the same way, leaving fans with an overall feeling of to and fro.
For Season 4, Blizzard seems to be taking a step back to look at the bigger picture. We're getting an overhaul to the base game's loot system so big that Season 4 has been delayed, and a Public Test Realm has been created to let players give it a go and offer feedback that can be implemented before Season 4 truly begins.
And so far? So good! Forums and social media are stuffed with positive feedback on what fans have tried so far. Helltide events specifically are getting a lot of love thanks to more interesting encounters and better reward incentives, though the crafting system and others have also received praise.
"I really love these changes," one player says. "Things need to be valuable and have risks involved. D4 before this was just mindlessly finish your build in 20 hours. I have been playing for six hours and I still haven’t even come close to a decent build.
"But I can see and feel the progression I’m looking for my uniques and more tempering scrolls I barely have masterworked yet. I would rather have a long meaningful grind than a short grind to max build."
As we approach Diablo 4's first anniversary, it appears the action-RPG might have found its footing. Season 4 is due to release on May 14, giving Blizzard time to implement feedback from the PTR, which you can play now.
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
Diablo 4 Season 4 PTR patch notes are here, they're 10,000 words long, and they bring game-changing news for controller players.
It turns out the Diablo 4 team didn't quite bring everything to bear in Season 4's Public Test Realm, as there are "a few small" extra items to come at launch.
When Diablo 3 got its pre-Reaper of Souls expansion patch dubbed 'loot 2.0' in 2014, it was credited with turning Blizzard’s action role-playing game around. Critics and players called loot 2.0 a big improvement on Diablo 3, with changes that sparked renewed interest from a community that had dropped off following the base game’s 2012 release. Now, 10 years later, Blizzard is aiming to repeat the trick with Diablo 4 Season 4.
The upcoming season of Diablo 4 has implemented changes in everything from itemization to class balance, and crafting systems are no different. Elixir changes were revealed on the PTR, and we're seeing a big upgrade to existing Elixirs and two brand-new Elixirs! All previous versions of Elixirs have been replaced with versions that provide materials on use (such as Potent Elixir of Cold Resistance), and there are now just two tiers per Elixir (i.e.
Star Wars fans rejoice because a brand new story trailer just dropped for the upcoming Star Wars Outlaws game. The title is being developed under Massive Entertainment, and we knew the team was pushing for a launch in 2024. However, we haven’t received an official release date since this game was unveiled to the public.
As players continue exploring the PTR, the massive itemization changes coming to Diablo 4 in Season 4 are at the forefront of everyone's minds, but here's something you may have missed — Gems have received a refresh in preparation for the upcoming season!Amethyst, Emerald, Sapphire, and Topaz will now grant Primary Stats when socketed into Armor, boosting Strength, Dexterity, Willpower, and Intelligence respectively. Additionally, nearly all Gem effects have been buffed across the board. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the old effects and their upcoming changes:
With the PTR for Diablo 4's Season 4 ending this Tuesday (4/9), and a handful of important interactions still being bugged and non-playable, some players have rallied behind the desire to extend the PTR to identify and provide feedback on additional bugs. Adam Fletcher, Global Community Development Director, went to X (formerly known as Twitter) to respond to players' curiosity: While some players might feel as if their concerns are being ignored, don't! It's important to recognize there are likely many aspects of gameplay Blizzard is looking for data and feedback on, besides the issues the community is zeroing in on. D4 Forum community member boltbane also raised a good point — if Blizzard thinks it's necessary, there's still plenty of time for another PTR before Season 4 officially launches on May 14. PTR Known Issues & What to Expect With the PTR ending tomorrow, what new features or endgame progression are you looking to test next? Let us know in the comments below!
In Season 4 of Diablo 4, players will gain access to the Pit of Artificers, a new Endgame mechanic which pits players against the clock while fighting hordes of monsters. Slay enough in time, and you'll gain access to the final boss at the end — a mechanic incredibly similar in form to Diablo 3's Greater Rifts. This content shares a feature that punishes player deaths as well, however this penalty seems to be particularly unforgiving in Diablo 4.
Wowhead community member krismate has found changes to The Lost City of Ureh area during their visit on the Diablo 4 PTR, which was previously blocked off. We have made our way to the Lost CIty of Ureh and compared the changes from the live servers to the PTR, including everything that got added to the area. Possible Iron Wolves Season 4 Theme Patch 1.4.0 PTR Datamined Changes
One of two new crafting systems coming with Diablo 4's Season 4, the Tempering system, includes the hunt for so-called Temper Manuals. These manuals feature up to 4 different affixes available for crafting at the Blacksmith — but only once you've found the actual manual! Below you can find an extensive list of most Temper Manuals currently available on the Diablo 4 Season 4 PTR. These Temper Manuals may have several ranks — for those that do, only the Legendary Rank Manual is listed, as it has the highest rolls available.Disclaimer: This is not a complete list of all Temper Manuals coming with Diablo 4 Season 4. Our data set is also based on PTR data, so everything below is subject to change.
Are you ready to dive into the longest list of new item affixes in Diablo 4? Here are some of the available affixes through Tempering, one of two new crafting systems coming with Diablo 4 Season 4. After a first look, it seems that Tempered Affixes will play a massive role in customizing your build while also being able to simply prioritize offensive, defensive, and utility stats.Disclaimer: This is not a complete list of all Tempered Affixes coming with Diablo 4 Season 4. Our data set is also based on PTR data, so everything below is subject to change.
Here are all the new Unique items coming with Diablo 4's Season 4! This list includes a first look at all new General and Class Unique items currently present on the Season 4 Public Test Realm, including the new Uber Unique, Tyrael's Might. Season 4 PTR Datamined Changes Diablo 4 Andariel Boss Model
Blizzard has unlocked the Diablo 4 PTR forums and released a statement regarding known issues and what to expect regarding the upcoming Season 4 PTR. These include several issues regarding Tempering and Masterworking, the two new crafting systems coming in Season 4, and other updated content. Global Diablo Community Development Director Adam Fletcher also stated that players will need to finish the prologue to gain access to the Boost NPC for now; however, the team is working on a solution for this this in the near future.