Season 2 of Diablo 4, known as the Season of Blood, began in mid-October and still has over two months left to run. The limited-time events of Abattoir of Zir and Midwinter Blight for Season 2 were recently announced at BlizzCon 2023. During this event, Rod Fergusson, the General Manager of the Diablo franchise, discussed with Digital Trends how Blizzard designs the content for this extended season.
Fergusson emphasized the importance of pacing the content, avoiding constant intensity, and providing players with a refreshing break before introducing new features. The aim is to engage players throughout the 12-week season by having a mixture of content, and while Season 2 has been successful, future adjustments may occur.
Blizzard has embraced a live service model for Diablo 4, with Season 2 events announced, Season 3 teased, and the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, introduced at BlizzCon 2023. Fergusson acknowledged that Blizzard’s early attempts to achieve perfect balance in the game led to some controversial changes and acknowledged the need to prioritize player enjoyment.
Improved communication with the player base allows the development team to react more effectively to player preferences and demands. While Season 1 updates were concluded before the game’s release, Season 2 incorporated numerous quality-of-life improvements and player-requested features.
Looking ahead, Blizzard plans to release multiple expansions for Diablo 4, a different approach from Diablo 3. The upcoming expansion, Vessel of Hatred, will be substantial, with a new region, class, and additional elements brought into the main game. Seasons will continue even after the expansion’s launch in 2024.
Blizzard’s development teams are organized into different “swim lanes” to manage live service development efficiently. This approach involves teams focusing on day-to-day balancing, odd-numbered seasons, even-numbered seasons, expansion content, and the second expansion’s development.
While Blizzard has faced challenges regarding workplace safety and culture, integration with Vicarious Visions (now Blizzard Albany) has been successful. The teams collaborate seamlessly, and Blizzard is keen to receive player feedback to inform future content.
The timing of the second expansion for Diablo 4 remains undetermined, and Blizzard intends to adapt its release schedule based on player feedback. The team aims to strike a balance between delivering content regularly and being responsive to player input.