Why World of Warcraft Needs to Embrace the Game-Changing Seasonal Structure of Diablo 4

Highlights

Blizzard's awe-inspiring online phenomenon, World of Warcraft, might find valuable insights from the seasonal framework employed by Diablo 4.

World of Warcraft stands to gain numerous advantages from implementing a comparable seasonal framework. This approach would compel players to explore new avenues, invigorate the game, and foster the development of innovative concepts. The post-launch content journey for Diablo 4 has commenced with the advent of the Season of the Malignant, introducing fresh, exhilarating challenges throughout Sanctuary. Additionally, players can now claim numerous cosmetics and the game's inaugural battle pass. Despite the presence of certain contentious alterations, Diablo 4's seasonal system appears to be functioning quite effectively, prompting speculation that Blizzard should contemplate employing it for another expansive online title.

World of Warcraft has had seasonal content for a while now, but it operates in a significantly different manner compared to Diablo 4's version. While World of Warcraft Classic appears to be taking inspiration from Diablo, the retail version has yet to adopt this approach. By making a few adjustments, World of Warcraft could potentially reap great benefits from this feature. It could inspire players to explore new possibilities, inject fresh vitality into Azeroth, and provide Blizzard with the freedom to unleash their innovative ideas.

Diablo 4's Seasons Could Do Wonders for WoW

The seasonal structure in Diablo 4 closely resembles that of Diablo 3. Every few months, a fresh season will commence, bringing with it new challenges and changes to the core game. Players can explore all the offerings of the season without any additional cost, but they must first create a brand-new character. These characters will have the opportunity to delve into the new content, collect exclusive cosmetics, and make progress in the battle pass. At the end of the season, this content will disappear, allowing players to transfer their seasonal character to the base game.

World of Warcraft operates under a different seasonal model than Diablo 4. Each expansion in World of Warcraft typically consists of three or four seasons, each introducing a new raid tier. These seasons typically begin a week after a major patch release and revolve around the newest raid content. Although players can continue using their existing characters, their PvP and Mythic+ ratings are reset. Additionally, Blizzard raises the item level, motivating players to seek out new gear once the season begins.

In contrast to Diablo 4, World of Warcraft players are not obligated to create new characters. They are not required to repeat the leveling process unless they choose to, and can focus on their established character for as long as they desire. While this has led to a strong attachment to their characters among players, implementing a fresh start could potentially benefit the current state of WoW. The success of the Season of Mastery in World of Warcraft Classic demonstrates that a similar approach could be implemented in the retail version of the game as well.

Players in every World of Warcraft season would have the opportunity to create new characters on exclusive realms. Blizzard could introduce fresh mechanics to enhance the leveling experience, allowing players to unlock a variety of new cosmetics and toys as they progress. This would encourage players to experiment with different classes, explore new races, join different factions, breathe life back into the old continents, and discover previously unseen content. The seasonal exclusive mechanics would also provide an enjoyable challenge, appealing even to veteran players. Though participation in this seasonal structure would be optional, it could revitalize areas of World of Warcraft that are lacking activity and give seasons a greater sense of purpose. The cross-pollination between the Diablo and Warcraft franchises would be taken to the next level, as the seasons in Diablo 4 could seamlessly integrate into the 19-year-old MMO with some fine-tuning and adjustments.

Diablo 4 is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.