Diablo 4's new goblins are a nod to Diablo 3—but why stop there?

This is the first time I've been genuinely excited for a March of the Goblins event in Diablo 4. Not because there's anything wrong with them per se, but they usually come a little later in the season—when I’ve already gathered most of the gear I want. Treasure goblins have also always felt a little lackluster in Diablo 4. However, the March of the Goblins event begins on March 4 and brings some major changes that have me genuinely hyped. Many of Diablo 3's treasure goblin variants are making their return, and they aren’t just here for the event—they’re here to stay. I for one am glad to see more Diablo 3 features returning and I think we could stand to see a few more.

When does March of the Goblins start?

• March 4, 10 a.m. PST, to March 11, 10 a.m. PDT
• March 4, 1 p.m. ET to March 11, 1 p.m. ET
• March 4, 6 p.m. GMT to March 11, 5 p.m. GMT

March of the Goblins, bigger and better but pleasingly familiar for Diablo 3 fans

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Starting March 4, Diablo 4 players will notice an increased rate of Treasure Goblin sightings across Sanctuary. These goblins will include six brand-new variants, each with unique loot.

• Odious Ector: Drops crafting materials, including rare Obducite in torment difficulties.
• Gilded Baron: Drops massive piles of gold.
• Glittering Prym: A gem hoarder that drops Runes, Gem Fragments, Undercity Tributes and Scattered Prisms in Torment.
• Curious Murl: Grants a bounty of Murmuring Obols, stored neatly in collectible bags so no worry for players who are at capacity.
• Gelatinous Syrus: A Goblin that splits into more goblins when attacked and gifts players with Legendary items, Gold, and Boss summoning materials.
• Fancy Old Fedric: A brand new goblin exclusive to Diablo 4, so rare you may never see him! This mythic rarity Goblin drops a guaranteed Mythic Unique and a Resplendent Spark (for crafting your own Mythic Unique)

Many of these new goblins are modern-day counterparts to some of our favorite Treasure Goblins from Diablo 3. For instance, Diablo 3’s Gem Hoarder is now Diablo 4’s Glittering Prym and Gilded Baron is err, Gilded Baron.

My personal favorite goblin from Diablo 3, the Gelatinous Sire, returns as 'Gelatinous Syrus,' However, Diablo 4 goes a step further with adding a new mythical goblin which while I'll probably never spot one, I'm psyched to know is in the game.

I've a guide to the best way to farm treasure goblins here if you want to increase your chances of finding our new pals.

As someone who has spent countless hours farming Goblins in Diablo 3 for their unique drops (including secret levels), I can't help but more excited than usual for this particular event.

With the return of the Armory in Season 7, and now these new goblin variants, I can't help but think Blizzard seems less shy to lean into the best of its history to fill some content gaps players have felt in Diablo 4, but it also raises a question for me. Why stop at Goblins?

Diablo 3 wasn’t bad—and the more Diablo 4 embraces this the better

The Diablo franchise has a complicated history. Originally planned to have MMO features these ideas were scrapped and later implemented into in what we have as Diablo 4 now.

When Diablo 3 launched, it faced criticism for its real money auction house and 'colorfulness' and split the fandom into Diablo 2 diehards, and those who embraced Diablo 3, but it has always been somewhat cool to whale on Diablo 3 as being bad.

Though it did transform post-Reaper of Souls into a title offering regular seasonal content updates and a more rewarding loot system, it was perhaps too heavy-handed in its progression system and use of ' green item sets,' which kind of killed off any loot chase outside of these items.

Many things about Diablo 3 were great, though, and it's good to see that Blizzard has not forgotten this and is slowly adding fun features back in, such as the new goblins.

When Diablo 4 launched, it was clear with the slow levelling and darker themes it was angling for the Diablo 2 audience, but Blizzard have since said they've realized that the modern audience doesn't really appreciate that grind.

Adding the armory and new loot goblins are easy quick wins to bulk out the content in Diablo 4, but it could do so even more by addressing other quality of life additions we had previously that the audience would appreciate now.

We're not getting a loot filter but could there be another solution we've already had?

In a recent Q&A, the developers addressed the community’s ongoing frustration with the lack of a loot filter. This isn’t something I thought Diablo 4 particularly needed—until Season 7, the Season of Witchcraft. The sheer volume of loot drops in Headhunt areas has made me rethink my stance.

A loot filter would allow players to customize the drops they see, focusing on gear that matches their builds or progression needs. However, Blizzard has stopped short of committing to this solution, explaining that they want all loot to feel meaningful, from the lowly white drops to Legendaries.

While I agree that lower-level loot is still necessary for salvaging into crafting materials, Blizzard could address this issue in another way: bringing back the salvaging pets from Diablo 3.

In Season 28, Diablo 3 introduced the Altar of Rites, unlocking an amazing quality of life feature—pets that automatically salvaged common, magic, and rare items. This let players focus on meaningful loot without constantly returning to town to manage their inventory.

In Diablo 4, pets already serve as cosmetic companions, and I've just earning the lovely Dorian the Raven. I say they already pick up crafting materials for us, why not salvage the items we don't need too and give us the solution we crave for the loot clutter issue?

With the casual announcement of an expansion not expected until 2026, Blizzard could keep us happy with other Diablo 3 themed additions. Lest we forget goblins also opened the gates to Whimsyshire levels and even the Cow level.

Adding these in with a Diablo 4 twist would be a great way to keep players hooked while we wait for that new expansion.

Season 8 delayed by 2 weeks

General Manager of Diablo 4, Rod Fergusson, announced last week that Season 8 will be delayed. Previously scheduled for April 15, it’s now set to begin on April 29. We’ll also hear more about the Public Test Realm (PTR) for this season in a Campfire Chat on March 7.

The most intriguing part of this announcement was the tease of an "old friend" returning, sparking plenty of speculation within the community.

Before anyone gets too excited, I highly doubt it’s Diablo himself, who hasn’t yet appeared in Diablo 4. Blizzard will almost certainly save that reveal for an expansion. But who else could it be?

Fans are already theorizing that Zoltun Kulle might make a return, though his voice was already featured in Season 3. Could it be Deckard Cain, somehow arisen from his grave of butterflies? Or perhaps Tyrael, whose whereabouts remain unknown since the end of Diablo 3?

Delays to seasons are always welcome if they lead to a better experience overall. Whatever Blizzard has planned, I can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeve.