Summary
Diablo 2: Resurrectedhas seen a surge in popularity recently, with the game now outperformingDiablo 3in terms of the number of total players.Diablo 3has long been a controversial entry, not just in Blizzard’s now-iconic action RPG franchise but in the genre itself. A decent chunk of the fandom clung to theDiablo 2formula all these years later in the form ofDiablo 2: Resurrected, which repackaged the original game with reworked visuals and other gameplay improvements, with the game now seeing an uptick in overall players.
Each new entry in theDiablofranchisehas been met with lots of excitement, though the launch ofDiablo 3was notoriously plagued by issues, errors, and other network bugs that hindered the game’s reputation long after its release date. Over time, Blizzard worked to make theDiablo 3experience as fun and rewarding as possible, even dropping some of the game’s more controversial features, like the Auction House. Blizzard has faced numerous controversies in regard toDiablo 4, the most recent entry in the franchise, with some players opting to stick to the classics. However, so many players are now enjoyingDiablo 2: Resurrectedthat the game is outperformingDiablo 3entirely.
According to new information fromDiablofranchise head Rod Fergusson, Blizzard’s numbers indicateDiablo 2: Resurrectedhas more players thanDiablo 3. Fergusson explained in a recent interview withGameFile(shared viaPureDiablo) that he has a franchise dashboard that monitors all theDiablogames, withDiablo 2: Resurrectedhaving a “very healthy” player base. The game launched in 2021 to positive reviews, with players praising bothDiablo 2: Resurrected’s updated visual fidelityand the game’s array of quality-of-life improvements.
Diablo 2: Resurrected Now More Popular Than Diablo 3
Diablo 3proved to be quite controversial, both on release day and in the months that followed, as it not only made changes to the classicDiabloformula in the form of combat and itemization but it also significantly changed the franchise’s art style, shifting away from a more dark gothic look to something a little more cartoonish and fantastical. Some players opted to stick with the classics like the originalDiabloas well as its sequelDiablo 2from 2000. However,Diablo 2: Resurrectedgave both new and old players alikea great place to jump in and enjoy an updated yet still authenticDiabloexperience.
DespiteDiablo 2: Resurrected’s increase in popularity, it’s hardly the most recent entry in the franchise, with players currently in the middle ofDiablo 4’s latest seasonal update. While the game has mostly been able to satisfy players, just like withDiablo 3,Diablo 4has faced a number of controversies. Most of these issues and gripes have been addressed in subsequent updates, withDiablo 4’s current season 7 update making significant adjustments to item and class balancing.
Diablo 2: Resurrected
WHERE TO PLAY
Diablo II: Resurrected is the definitive remastering of Diablo II and its Lord of Destruction expansion - two hallmark entries in Blizzard Entertainment’s genre-defining action role-playing series. Veteran players, as well as those who missed out when the original game was first released on PC twenty years ago, can now experience Diablo II’s timeless gameplay with modern visuals and audio that take advantage of PS4 and PS5.
