Original creator of the Diablo franchise, David Brevik was interviewed recently for the VideoGamer podcast, and while the episode isn't live yet the guys over at VideoGamer have published some of the best bits which are sure to get some tongues wagging in the ARPG community. As the battle between Diablo and Path of Exile rages on amongst fans, Brevik bemoaned the faster-paced nature of current-day ARPGs, and I can't help wondering if his comments were more focused on Diablo 4 than anything else. The latest season has certainly had the dial turned up to 11 for loot rain, but I did enjoy Season 7 a lot. Do modern gamers really want the slower methodical paced gameplay the Brevik is harking back to in this interview? We'll get into that shortly, first here's his comments.
David Brevik, the original creator of the Diablo franchise, recently shared his thoughts in an interview for the VideoGamer podcast. While the full episode isn’t live yet, the VideoGamer team has teased some highlights that are already stirring up conversation in the ARPG community. As fans continue to debate the merits of Diablo 4 versus Path of Exile 2, Brevik lamented the faster-paced gameplay seen in today’s ARPGs and MMOs. Though I stress he didn’t name any titles specifically, it’s hard not to wonder if his criticism was aimed directly at Diablo 4, especially with its latest loot-heavy season, Season of Witchcraft.
Season 7 certainly ramped things up, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. But it does raise a question: do modern gamers really crave the slower, methodical gameplay Brevik is reminiscing about?
Brevik on the current pacing of ARPGs and MMOs
“I think that a RPGs in general have started to lean into this: kill swaths of enemies all over the place extremely quickly,” Brevik said in the interview. “Your build is killing all sorts of stuff so you could get more drops, you can level up, so you can like, and the screen is littered with stuff you don’t care about.” Although he acknowledges Diablo 2 wasn’t perfect, Brevik elaborated on why he finds modern gameplay less engaging: "I just don’t find killing screen-fulls of things instantly and mowing stuff down and walking around the level and killing everything, very enticing. I just don’t feel like that is a cool experience. I find it kind of silly.”
While the full interview hasn’t been released, these snippets are already fueling online debates and I'd bet there are multiple Youtube videos incoming considering Brevik's status in the gaming community. Although Brevik doesn’t mention Diablo 4 or Path of Exile 2 by name here, the implications are clear—and fans on both sides are taking note.
What do the Diablo 4 audience actually want?
Let me share a little secret: it’s impossible to please Diablo players. When Diablo 4 launched in June 2023, it was praised for its story and campaign—arguably the best in the franchise. But its endgame? Not so much. Players criticized its pacing and lack of meaningful endgame. Ironically, while Diablo 2 fans have spent years farming Baal without reaching max level, the same grind is considered intolerable in a modern Diablo game.
In our interview with the developers last year, Rod Fergusson addressed this disconnect:
"When you launch something, you're always doing it with a set of assumptions. We had the assumption that D4 was meant to be more D2-like. And so one of the assumptions was that people were going to be okay with the long grind for the Unique or an Uber Unique in particular, because in Diablo II, it can go years. You can go three years before you find the Uber you're looking for. And in fact, like there's a name called the Holy Grail, which is getting one of everything, which literally takes years. And so we were like, okay, this is what people love about the progression of D2, that idea of that very long chase. And so we launched that way with D4 and we found out very quickly that if you don't give me my Uber in my season, then I'm upset."
Translation: Blizzard tried the slow-burn approach of Diablo 2 but faced immediate backlash. The result now is Increased mob density and a legendary loot rain closer to Diablo 3—a shift I personally enjoy. But this faster pace comes at a cost, with updates feeling increasingly buggy, something Blizzard has openly acknowledged.
It's super unfortunate as some knock-ons occurred. Quality of releases has been a big topic and something the team is acutely aware they need to be better at. It won't be overnight but its one of the big things a lot of focus will be on.February 4, 2025
You can't please everyone
Not everyone agrees with me on Diablo 4’s current pace, and that’s fine. For those craving a more methodical and grueling challenge, Path of Exile 2 might be the better fit. However, even PoE 2 is navigating its own teething issues, albeit under the protection of Early Access. Personally, I blame Elon Musk.
Ultimately, the debate boils down to catering to two distinct audiences: casual players like myself and hardcore fans looking for a punishing grind. From a business perspective, Blizzard’s focus on the more profitable casual audience makes sense, even if it frustrates Diablo 2 purists.
Where can I listen to the David Brevik interview?
The VideoGamer podcast can be found on Spotify, and I'll update this page when the episode goes live. You can read more about David Brevik's experience at Blizzard and some other interesting facts about Diablo in Jason Schreier's Play Nice.
UPDATE: The podcast is now live here.
