11 seasons later, Diablo 4 has created a Ship of Theseus that deserves a second chance if it didn't click at launch

With Diablo 4 now in its 11th season, the game is arguably in its best shape ever. Diablo 4 has been quite a rollercoaster so far, with some very high-highs and some equally low-lows. But looking back at the launch of Diablo 4 compared to its state at the start of Season 11 makes it clear that the two are completely different games, and players who bounced off Diablo 4 soon after launch they might click better with the game now.

The seasonal content model for Diablo 4mixed with permanent content updates and expansions, has allowed the game to take on a different look in the years since its initial launch in 2023. Each season of Diablo 4 changes the identity of the game, albeit temporarily, and offers a unique experience to varying degrees. While some popular mechanics like Chaos Armor have come and gone all the time Diablo 4s life, it is the permanent changes that have shaped the game into what it is today, and Diablo 4 looks almost unrecognizable from the game launched in 2023.

What is a Ship of Theseus, and how does it apply to Diablo 4?

The Ship of Theseus is an ancient Greek thought experiment that asks one to consider whether a ship that has had all its parts replaced over time is still the same ship it started as. The question is intended to spark debate about the nature of identity as it relates to change over time. A live service game that Diablo 4 will itself be constantly changing as new updates are rolled out and expansions released, making it the perfect candidate to become a Ship of Theseus.

How Diablo 4 has changed since its 2023 launch

Difficulty changes in Diablo 4

One of the most obvious changes Diablo 4 has undergone in the years since launch is the game's approach to game difficulty. Originally, Diablo 4 featured four different world levels that served as difficulty levels, with each capped off by a Capstone Dungeon that players needed to complete to advance to the next level. With the release of Diablo 4: Ships of Hatethis difficulty system was reworked to include eight total difficulties, with the first four freely available for players to switch between at any time. The four Torment difficulty levels are only available after players clear certain levels of Pit of the Artificer: 20, 35, 50, and 65 respectively.

Endgame progression in Diablo 4

Diablo 4The endgame development has also undergone some major changes since launch. Originally the level cap for Diablo 4 every 100, where players would unlock access to the Paragon Board after reaching it. Since the release of Vessel of Hatred and the 2.0 update, the level cap has been lowered to level 60, and the Paragon Board becomes available afterwards. This lower tier cap makes it easier to reach the playoffs and makes it easier to build a meta character each season.

Image via Blizzard

To help in the endgame, the addition of Tempering and Masterworking Diablo 4 Season 4 created a new layer of buildcrafting that allows players to fine-tune their gear to match their build's needs. Although the randomized nature of Tempering and Mastworking was somewhat frustrating for players, recent changes in Diablo 4 Season 11 has largely addressed these complaints. The Codex of Power was also added Diablo 4 Season 4, allows players to permanently unlock legendary aspects by saving items, no longer having to store disposable aspects in their inventory.

Season ranking system and known rework of Diablo 4 Season 11 is also very different from the season development of the first ones Diablo 4 seasons. Capstone Dungeons may have been removed with the difficulty level changes, but have returned as gateways for seasonal ranks in Season of Divine Intervention. The Altars of Lilith, which players spent time scouring the Sanctuary at the beginning of Diablo 4 for their permanent stat upgrades, no longer offer these bonuses and instead grant small amounts of XP and resources such as gold, gems, and obols.

Diablo 4s endgame boss loop has also evolved over time, from a disparate ladder to a more focused system in the Lair Boss mechanic that was added in Season 8. Now, Diablo 4 players can summon Lair Bosses without the need for specific materials as at launch, but still require certain materials to access the boss' reward chests after defeating them. Defeating initiated bosses provides materials needed to access the chests of Greater Lair Bosses, making the feature more of a ladder than before. Additional bosses were added around this time as well, giving Vessel of Hatred owners access to Urivar and Harbinger of Hatred, and all players access to top boss Belial.

Other content added since Diablo 4 first launched

• Infernal hordes

• 6 new Treasure Goblin types

• Hat ship campaign

• mercenaries

• Runes

• Kurast Undercity

• Dark Citadel

• Spiritborn class

• Paladin class

• Escalating nightmares

• Bartuc, Lord of Chaos Infernal Hordes Boss

• Azmodan World Manager

While the largest amount of new content has come from the Vessel of Hatred expansion, each Diablo 4 the season has left its mark on the game in some way. Early seasons may have only added new bosses like Varshan in Season 1 and Lord Zir in Season 2, but subsequent seasons have completely overhauled or added certain mechanics, such as Season 5 and the addition of Infernal Hordes as a new endgame activity, or Season 9 and the addition of Escalating Nightmares as a variant of Nightmare Dungeons. The new Spiritborn and Paladin classes have perhaps changed the gameplay the most Diablo 4 players completely new types of builds from what was available at launch.

Diablo 4 is likely not finished with changes yet

Image via Blizzard

Diablo 4 already looks like a completely different game than it did two years ago, and it will change even more in 2026. The Lord of Hatred expansion could look like a dramatic change of Diablo 4 as Vessel of Hatred did last year. In addition to the new map of Skovos, Lord of Hatred is overhauling the Skill Trees and bringing back the Horadric Cube from Diablo 2 for a new crafting experience, along with an expanded endgame with War Plans and Echoing Hatred. While the finer details of these changes are still unclear, they show it Diablo 4 is a constantly evolving game that cannot be judged based on its initial launch.

Released

June 5, 2023

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, In-Game Purchases, User Interaction