Diablo III's Battle.Net interface.

Activision bought a gold mine when it bought up Blizzard.  Not just any old goldmine, but a working goldmine.  Yes, Activision had hits like Guitar Hero and whatnot in their lineup, but none of those things are as world-shakingly popular as Blizzard’s properties:  Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo.  After World of Warcraft got its expansion, and Starcraft II was released, it was up to Diablo to release Diablo III.  While Diablo III isn’t released yet, details are starting to leak, and it’s… troubling.  Diablo III will not allow modding, but will feature a cash-powered in-game auction house and require an always-on internet connection to prevent modding.

Oh, Activision.  This is all your fault.  For all of the talk about keeping the two units separate, Activision-Blizzard has made it clear who is in charge with these decisions.  The real-money auction house is one thing (and it bothers me), but the real kicker is the always-on internet requirement and the ban on modding.  Modding is why Blizzard’s old games like Diablo II are so popular and remain popular, because you can always change things that you want, get the weapons you may never have gotten before, and can even create your own levels for the game.

People still play, love, and buy Diablo II; will the same be said for Diablo III a decade after it launches?  I kind of doubt it, considering what Activision is doing to the series.

Tags: Activision, Activision-Blizzard, Diablo, Diablo III, Diablo III for-cash auction house, Diablo III bans modding, Diablo series, Diablo III requires internet connection, video games, hack-n-slash, virtual marketplace, Diablo III Battle.Net changes

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