Diablo III fans who have been waiting for some changes to the gameplay mechanics may be getting what they wanted after all. Earlier today Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime left a promising letter to the community that teased a few anticipated changes as well as completely new features.
Morhaime wrote in his letter that the next patch, 1.04, will feature changes to the existing skill system of Diablo III. Hoping to better balance the game, Morhaime promises enhanced “build diversity” with “buffs to many rarely used, underpowered class abilities.” Even more exciting with the arrival of patch 1.04 is the promise of unique and viable Legendary items. Morhaime states that these new treasures will be “more interesting, more powerful, and more epic in ways you probably won’t be expecting.”
Some additional teases included a few updates for the interface. These include social improvements that will allow players to more easily access the achievements that their friends accomplish, the ability to more quickly join games, and a more robust system for player communication.
There were also some promises to change the game on the auction house front. Changes such as the ability to provide players with more detailed information through the use of tooltips and notices, improved search filtering tools, and additional balancing seem promising.
The letter also highlights the eagerly anticipated patch 1.1 that will introduce PvP to Diablo III. This patch is also promised to include further social interface and auction house remedies and further refinement of the gameplay system as well.
Perhaps the most interesting and exciting announcement is a gameplay system that will provide high-level players with “new goals to strive for as an alternative to the “item hunt.” While specific were not mentioned, Blizzard is open to feedback.
While the patches will not solve all of the issues that players may have with the game immediately, over time it appears that Blizzard has a plan to continue to improve Diablo III.
The full letter can be found here on the official Blizzard forums.
