Diablo 4 wants a slower season, but its pre-T1 progression doesn't support that idea

Blizzard Entertainment wants Season 8 to have a shower progression. Is slower progression a bad idea for Diablo 4? I'm not so sure. The game's seasons are definitely a hot topic to discuss. As a long-time Diablo player, it is a fact that the online community discussions are quite toxic, and I am not judging; it's an opinion. That's just how this works, to say the least.

But the idea of a slower progressing season is quite intriguing.

The slower progression will be accompanied by a higher challenge to the Torment difficulty. This might just put an end to the debate of Diablo 4 being “too easy.” Meaning, players could just get into Diablo 4, and within a few hours, reach Torment 4 without a hitch.

According to the developers in the Campfire Chat, it was getting extremely easy to level cap and hit the hardest content in Diablo 4, and they need players to slow it down.

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How “slow progression” will work in Diablo 4 Season 8

Increased difficulty

Tormented tier increased significantly for higher difficulty (image via Blizzard Entertainment)

According to the developers, in Diablo 4 Season 7, the number of players hitting the level cap and getting into endgame content within 9 to 10 hours has doubled. Before, it would generally take around 15 to 17 hours to get to Torment difficulty.

The issue we all faced was that there was no challenge left to Diablo 4; even the Torment difficulty felt like a walk in the park. So, the Torment push would be significantly more difficult in Season 8.

In Diablo 4 Season 8, Torment 1 now starts at Pit Tier 10, while the overall scaling of Torment and Pit will be increased by around 20% per level. Meaning, around 20% difficulty stacking per level, making the higher tiers of the Pit a terrifying nightmare. This will definitely give players the challenge they have been asking for since the beginning.

But will casual players like the idea? Only time will tell.

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Pre-T1 progression doesn't support the slow progression of Diablo 4 Season 8

Legendary loot drop rate has been significantly reduced for a slower progression (image via Blizzard Entertainment)

The pre-T1 progression of Diablo 4 is a whole different problem. While it is loved by players of the genre for having a fantastic loot drop rate and variation, it is also the root of the problem in a way.

Players were getting multiple legendaries within minutes of playing the game. Receiving a legendary early on results in a massive power boost as well as a faster level progress. They could reach high tiers of difficulty within mere hours of starting the game.

According to the developers of Diablo 4 during the Campfire Chat, the drop rate of legendary items is reduced during levelling up. This will significantly slow down progression and require more grinding to get to level cap.

While the pre-T1 progression may be easy (depending upon build), it might just be a little bit difficult now with the lowered drop rate of legendaries, making it an overall slower progression.

A power fantasy like Diablo 4 thrives on cleaving a screen full of enemies in a single blow, dishing out enormous amounts of damage. It would be difficult for players to get their character's power to where it is optimal.

While some will definitely find this a difficult system to agree with, others will agree that Diablo 4 needed this increased difficulty and lower progression rate. The community will always be divided with changes like this, but only after Season 8 goes live can we be certain if it will work or not.