Summary
Diablo 4’s post-launch content stream has officially begun with the launch of Season of the Malignant. Brand-new challenges have swept across Sanctuary, dozens of cosmetics are waiting to be claimed, and the game’s first-ever battle pass has arrived. While it may have included some controversial changes,Diablo 4’s seasonal structure seems to work pretty well so far, and maybe Blizzard should consider adopting it for another massive online title.
World of Warcrafthas had seasonal content for a while now, but it works very differently thanDiablo 4’s iteration does.World of Warcraft Classicmay be followingDiablo’s example, but the retail version has yet to emulate it. With a few tweaks,World of Warcraftmay be able to benefit greatly from this feature. It could push players to try new things, breathe new life into Azeroth, and let Blizzard run wild with innovative ideas.
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Diablo 4’s Seasons Could Do Wonders for WoW
Diablo 4’s seasonal structure works pretty similar toDiablo 3’s version. Every couple of months, a new season will launch with new challenges and alterations to the base game. Players can check out everything the season has to offer at no additional charge, but they must create a brand-new character first. These characters will be able to experience the new content, collect new cosmetics, and progress through the battle pass. Once the season ends, that content will vanish and the player will be able to move their seasonal character over to the base game.
World of Warcraftalso follows a seasonal model, but it works very differently. Every single expansion tends to have around three or four seasons with each season representing a new raid tier. Seasons tend to start a week after the launch of a major patch and are often built around the newest raid. Players can use the exact same character they have been using, but their PvP and Mythic+ ratings are reset. Blizzard also increases the item level, so players will want to hunt down brand-new gear once it starts.
UnlikeDiablo 4,World of Warcraftplayers are not forced to create brand-new characters. They do not have to redo the leveling process unless they want to and can focus on the same exact character for as long as they want. While that has made players grow extremely attached to their characters, forcing them to start fresh could do wonders for the current state ofWoW. IfWorld of Warcraft Classiccan do it withthe Season of Mastery, then there is no reason retail should not as well.
EveryWorld of Warcraftseasoncould see players create brand-new characters on season-exclusive realms. Blizzard could introduce new mechanics to shake up the leveling experience, and players could unlock all sorts of new cosmetics and toys as they level. This could force players to try out new classes, explore new races, join new factions, help make the old continents feel alive again, and let players experience content they may have never seen before. The seasonal exclusive mechanics could also be a lot of fun to overcome, and the concept could challenge even the most veteran of players.
While this seasonal structure should be optional, it could help revitalize some of the emptier sides ofWorld of Warcraftand give seasons a greater purpose.TheDiabloandWarcraftfranchiseshave been borrowing elements from each other forever, and this could take it a step further. With a few tweaks and changes,Diablo 4’s seasons would feel right at home in the 19-year-old MMO.
Diablo 4is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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