Due to a series of DDoS attacks, servers for Blizzard games have been having trouble. Players have slammed Diablo 4 for its always-online requirement restricting their ability to play the game.
Diablo 4 is a game that requires a massive time investment to get anywhere with. Even getting through the main story is a lengthy proposition, and getting good end-game gear on your character with the right build takes even longer.
So, it goes without saying that fans of the series who are busy would like to play whenever they have the time. People who have long work weeks look forward to spare time on the weekends that they can spend molding their character into what they want them to be.
However, when Blizzard’s servers were hit by DDoS attacks, many were left unable to log in and play the game during those precious weekend hours. This led to players calling out Blizzard’s always online model and saying that it shouldn’t be required for those looking to grind on their own.
Diablo 4 players bash “always online” amid DDoS attacks
Many modern live service titles have an “always online” requirement built into them, meaning that players have to have an internet connection in order to play them. Even if they plan to play on their own.
This goes both ways, however, as players are also unable to access the game if servers are down. Not only does this raise concerns about what would happen at the point that game servers go down for good, but also what happens in the case of what’s been happening recently with DDoS attacks affecting Blizzard.
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While nothing can be done while the attacks are happening, Diablo 4 players are hitting out at Blizzard due to a game that can be enjoyed by yourself having an always online requirement.
Diablo 3 had a similar design back when it was first released. Always online was much less common at the time, but D3’s launch really showed how many issues that model could bring with the game being all but unplayable after its initial launch.
Some players have even expressed that they’d love to be able to play the game offline even with the option for playing online available for them.
“Honestly, if I never saw any of y’all zipping around…I’d be perfectly content.” commented one user. While this would surely impact one’s ability to complete world events, it’s also an option many players would love to have.
“Give the people offline mode! I don’t need PvP, I’m just trying to level and gear up like most other non-pro gamers.” another user commented. It’s hard to say when, if ever, Diablo 4 will get an online mode. However, server downtime due to factors outside of Blizzard’s control have certainly showed the flaws in requiring players to be connected to servers in order to play.