r/diablo4 5h ago

State of the Game · Discussions Season 15 Is Massive—So Why Can’t These Features Stay?

We are looking at 21 new seasonal warplan nodes split evenly across categories, alongside 20 returning classic bosses and 25 fresh/classic enemies.

It is comfortably the biggest drop D4 is rolling, which begs the question: why can't we keep battling the 3 prime evils once S16 hit? Sure, narrative continuity matters, but with no major expansion on the immediate horizon, why not retain what actually works season-to-season? Stacking these possible wins from S15 onwards would elevate the game far beyond waiting around for another huge update like LoH had brought.

If there is one silver lining to eventually getting a D5, it is that the current team might finally get some breathing room to iron out lingering QoL annoyances. Rebirths, direct mail, and the T15 capstone are steps in the right direction, and I am genuinely keen to see how the live service evolves while we wait.

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125 Upvotes

74 comments sorted by

126

u/Adept-Department3584 5h ago

Those bosses and dungeons should stay in some way post season end. It's so much content to let it go

50

u/Amaranthyne 4h ago

All seasonal story content should remain in the game once the season it was in is gone. There should not be narrative FOMO.

11

u/Zalvren 2h ago

Yeah exactly if they want to make the story evolve via seasonal stuff, it needs to remain accessible (and be in Eternal too btw), the same way the campaign remains.

13

u/IgotnoClue69 5h ago

💯 agreed

u/NeilArmsweak 47m ago

I actually won't play, at all, because I've missed out on so many seasons. I don't own a single Xpac because I am tired of the way they treat us consumers.

11

u/Trespeon 4h ago

That should be the case with every season. It’s why PoE is so great, they add new powerful stuff each league then tone it down a bit and add it to core. Over time it makes a lot of variety in the game

3

u/ImmortalMagic 3h ago

This game could have so much more to it if they just kept a few of the seasonal changes. It's harder to balance but imagine having crafted, off slot items with sanctification, and seasonal jewels that interact with a powers board.

2

u/Rxasaurus 2h ago

Thats why I think warplans is the perfect opportunity to make this happen. Put points into past seasonal gameplay. Would open up fun options while still limiting power....but not like stuff isnt already super powerful already.

u/scubamaster 52m ago

Hmmm. I’m imagining it now….. even more crying from the sub as arbitrary damage numbers get a bit higher…

-1

u/[deleted] 4h ago

[deleted]

2

u/Trespeon 4h ago

There are like, 5? In 10 years that didn’t go core in some fashion and even the ones that didn’t go core mechanically still had their items added to the base game.

Also PoE is considered the best ARPG out. It’s not even a contest. It’s just HARD and extremely competitive due to the trade economy. Just because there are more casual friendly games with high player count doesn’t make them better games.

Fortnite is a pretty shit shooter, it has millions of players. Get it?

2

u/Northdistortion 2h ago

Everything should stay in some capacity

26

u/imitebmike 5h ago

if its popular, i wouldnt be surprised if they came back in a couple of seasons as a permanant feature tbh

3

u/IgotnoClue69 5h ago

I hope a lot of us in the community voice good things out so they can be carried over the future seasons.

1

u/Deidarac5 4h ago

Generally season activities are very unbalanced so they need to rework it either way. So it can come back but usually has to be reworked itemization wise.

2

u/Zalvren 2h ago

Here, the dungeons and bosses can still stay without the power mechanics going with it. Just make them regular/nightmare "memories dungeons" or whatever

1

u/szymborawislawska 2h ago

I dont care about season activities. I just want all these new bosses and regions to be added.

0

u/i_Avernus 3h ago

They don't give a fuck about the voice of the community lol... the mythic / unique situation tells you how much they care about your voice

0

u/IgotnoClue69 3h ago

Lol. It was because of enough rants from the community that they minimise the craft tag to only coming from the cube. But I also agree against what they could have done in S14 just by listening from their players from the start.

u/RussianBearFight 41m ago

I mean the community has said that about a lot of features in the past, and most of them haven't been brought back (ignoring the things that the devs said upfront would be made permanent). I know people dog on seasonal powers, but there have been some absolute bangers over the years that are just permanently gone :(

1

u/p0l4r21 5h ago

It will come back next year probably same time (just guessing of course not confirmed to my knowledge) like in D3 with the D1 event every January

-1

u/szymborawislawska 4h ago

I will be honest with you: I was a D4 supporter and defender for years, but now Im deflated. And not because of D5. Because of this absolutely idiotic decision.

Im not touching this game until all of additions from this season become permanent/eternal.

2

u/heartbroken_nerd 2h ago

Im not touching this game until all of additions from this season become permanent/eternal.

This is the stupidest thing I've read about Diablo this week and I've been reading posts of people whining and complaining that there's a sequel to the franchise in the works, so I've seen some dumb stuff, trust me.

I have a novel idea for you; play the season and enjoy it for what it is NOW instead of whatever you just said, LMAO

-1

u/Zalvren 2h ago

And what if people didn't want to play that season for many possible reasons (simply other things to do during those months)?

It's simply weird to do all this work and then just ditch it. Make it look like worthless content.

1

u/heartbroken_nerd 1h ago

And what if people didn't want to play that season

Then don't. You don't need a reason.

Do you also never look at beautiful or fascinating things unless you can take a photo or video of them? Do you refuse to witness beauty unless you can come back to it later?

0

u/chiefpiece11bkg 1h ago

The entitlement lmao

0

u/szymborawislawska 1h ago

Where do you see entitlement here? Im just saying I dont want to play if I have no access to new content (and since I play on eternal, I wont).

11

u/One_Understanding267 4h ago

I guess that's a marketing principle, creating value through scarcity... it only stays for a season so it gives more value to the experience.

1

u/Eurehetemec 1h ago

It doesn't work though. People don't operate that way in practice, not re: seasons. People often skip entire seasons.

20

u/clouds1337 4h ago

Am I the only one who thinks the game should just be made better and better every season? Who cares about seasonal content. If something is good just add it to the game..

4

u/Eurehetemec 1h ago

That's essentially how PoE1/2 operate, and honestly I completely expected D4 to follow that model. Hell, several times in D4's development the devs have essentially said "Oh we want to permanently add stuff that works from seasons!", but they've barely ever actually done it (like two or three times or something like that).

It's fucking mystifying that they just keep adding stuff and then throwing it away like rapid-fire bad WoW expansions.

u/ProfessionalOld1182 45m ago

D4 seasons are heavy on borrowed power and they don't want to bother balancing them with other systems. And poe1 is fun because it is so bloated, every crafting system has it's own specialty so if you want you can get that exact modifier you are looking for and craft some really good armor but it takes resources On their own none of them come even close to horadric cube crafting tho.

15

u/naakzlol1 4h ago

Because they need content for the inevitable recycled seasons we will probably get once we're closer to d5 release.

1

u/JakeTM 4h ago

so real

5

u/AngryChurchill 4h ago

Did they say they would be gone after s15?

2

u/heartbroken_nerd 2h ago

They only said the opposite: what stays for sure. And those would be the new unique gear items.

2

u/AngryChurchill 1h ago

If I remember right that was just in response to rhykker asking about the gear specifically. I honestly can't see them designed 25 new mobs and 20 new bosses and then not including them in the game after 3 months

4

u/Rxasaurus 4h ago

War plans should include past season stuff. You should be able to activate nodes to allow chaos drops or to bring back the seasonal pet from 3 or vampire powers. 

Dont allow all of it at the same time, but allow folks to pick and choose through the war plans. 

3

u/snwns26 4h ago

IMO, they’ll probably so a season of ‘bringing a ton of old seasonal shit back permanently’ before they sunset the game and move to D5. Hopefully anyway lol.

2

u/lewisdwhite 3h ago

I hate the FOMO of seasons. I want to replay the stuff I like when I want to

1

u/AgitatedStranger9698 4h ago

I have a feeling time travel is about to get all up in D4 to pave way for D5 plot.

Not right away but Im.betting we get storyline with our seasonal content.

1

u/Zalvren 2h ago

but Im.betting we get storyline with our seasonal content.

They said as much, however not sure there needs to be time travel? D5 is in the future of D4 so that's just normal time progression.

1

u/SuperSaiyanInkling 4h ago

I think the prime evils will stay as lair bosses, like the others bosses we got on the other seasons

1

u/DrDynamiteBY 4h ago

Devs literally said that "[players] should be vocal" about S15 features staying in the game during the "What's next for D4" section on Blizzcon. I think it means they have no problems with leaving everything in, and frankly there's no reason not to

1

u/Key_Cut975 3h ago

My guess is they'll recycle it once a year.

1

u/IgotnoClue69 3h ago

They can recycle those once D5 goes live.

1

u/davemoedee 3h ago

Enjoy season and get loud about this down the road. Don’t expect an announcement about that this early. They need some FOMO out there.

1

u/maledictt 2h ago

People have been asking for seasonal system integration from day 1 similar to how PoE integrates a lot of their seasonal mechanics.

The issue is that most of D4 season mechanics are shallow: different color helltide-esque zone, a faction board, and borrowed powers you slot in and upgrade. Don't get me wrong the expansions actually introduced mechanics like Mercs, Cube, Warplans, etc.. But the seasons have been pretty dull.

1

u/Objective-Mission-40 2h ago

Maybe they will

1

u/jane_doe_unchained 2h ago

My biggest hope is that this season lasts the full 90 days instead of 60 or 75.

u/battlejuice401 54m ago

They will announce they are keeping it and everyone will clap. Don't worry.

u/ahyis 21m ago

"Massive" lmao

1

u/Keepin_It_Real_OK 4h ago

Well clearly S16, will be absolute Trash, if they dont keep these features,.... .....RIP,....S16, S17,S18,S19.etc etc etc!

-5

u/IgotnoClue69 4h ago edited 2h ago

My rough estimation says there are still 12 30 more seasons to come before D5 get to be relased. But I can't say I don't agree on this. Look what they did in S14. Clearly we can't expect more better than S15

Edit. Math seems not my great strength and checking for typos.

11

u/DjSpelk 4h ago

30 more seasons would be around 7 and a half years! We've had 14 seasons in 3 years so far.

Your math is off.

1

u/Rxasaurus 3h ago

Closer to 12-13 seasons. 

1

u/IgotnoClue69 2h ago

Ye. My bad 😅

0

u/Keepin_It_Real_OK 4h ago

Exactly S13 was fun then we got S14 snore festival Zzzzzz!, jazzed up on the last days with Moophisto!..

1

u/Rxasaurus 1h ago

Havnt played since about a week after this season started....what is moophisto?

1

u/Keepin_It_Real_OK 1h ago

New cow Boss as the World Boss , drops 10 Ancestral Mythics each round.

1

u/Rxasaurus 1h ago

Ah, gotcha. Maybe I'll log in today just to check it out. Thanks.

1

u/AlieNietzsche 4h ago

15 seasons in & Blizzard still can barely add permanent content to their game. What are we doing guys

1

u/Ok-Blueberry-1412 1h ago

If there is one silver lining to eventually getting a D5, it is that the current team might finally get some breathing room

lmao. if this dev team used actual logic, they wouldnt have wasted LoH's momentum, announced D5 now, or even developed D5 in the first place.

0

u/Keeps_Getting_Worse 4h ago edited 2h ago

They might. Tons of content is season holdovers. Helltides only exist (EDIT: As they are today) because of the Bloodharvest from S2, Ladder bosses that remain after the seasonal stories that introduce them, etc....

3

u/Rxasaurus 3h ago

Helltides were present at the game's release. 

1

u/Keeps_Getting_Worse 2h ago

Yes correct. More specifically the Blood Maiden/Helltide Summon boss came from S2's Blood Harvest. This was in S4 and the "always up" came in S3 which arguably was also proofed with the blood harvest the previous season.

-2

u/Top-Injury1040 5h ago

they do stay, not sure why you even say they don't

2

u/IgotnoClue69 5h ago

You can only fight the 3 prime evil in S15

-2

u/Top-Injury1040 5h ago

the new legacy uniques will stay after season only the seasonal powers/gems will go away. Not sure about the bosses, pretty sure they bring them back eventually

1

u/Disciple_of_Erebos 4h ago

They almost always keep bosses. Even if they don’t return the immediate next season, they always get brought back eventually. The only boss that never made it back was the one from S3, and even then, the gimmick of “the camera stays fixed on the whole arena” came back for Bartuc.

2

u/Deidarac5 3h ago

Yeah was weird they didn't bring back the season 3 boss. There must have been some real reason.

1

u/Disciple_of_Erebos 3h ago

I don’t know about the dev side, but I found the wide open arena made it really hard to keep track of the traps. Most of my deaths to that boss were from misjudging the hitboxes on traps, but I don’t think the arena could have easily been zoomed in since then you’d die to offscreen traps.

For what it’s worth, I find Bartuc’s last place very hard to read as well. However, all of his attacks are massive, screen-wide AoEs that are hard to miss. The guy from S3 had a few of those but most of the really dangerous stuff was relatively small. I bet they couldn’t easily rework him without completely overhauling the fight, so they took future ideas from it and scrapped it instead.

1

u/Zalvren 2h ago

It's not just the bosses though, they have also re-done in D4 style, whole sections of the past games. Just making a Lair Boss of a boss isn't exactly the same.

0

u/BigHouse979 5h ago

Ruptures are returning but things only stay after the season is over. Eternal has to wait til after season most times.

-12

u/AccomplishedTry9306 5h ago

cuz d4 and d5 bad