Former Diablo 3 senior game designer Andrew Chambers has brought up an interesting tidbit about development for the series. In a video, he examines and points out the differences between the two games, focusing on key design decisions. He also reveals that Diablo 3 could have been similar had he not pushed back so much.
During Diablo 3’s development, Chambers said he regretted opposing a more intricate skill system. He believes that such a system, akin to Last Epoch’s, would have been preferable for dedicated Diablo players. Diablo 3 was intentionally designed to appeal to a wider audience, incorporating more user-friendly features instead of the detailed customization favored by ARPG enthusiasts.
Chambers commended Last Epoch’s trading system, considering it a strong model for other ARPGs to follow. He pointed out the contrast with Diablo 3’s Auction House, which focuses on a secure trading environment. It seems that Last Epoch has effectively balanced player-to-player trading with user-friendly alternatives.
“Fundamentally, overarching everything, we wanted to aim at a broader audience than just Diablo. We didn’t just wanna capture the Diablo audience – we wanted to expand upon it. The best way to do that is to create systems that are much more approachable, which usually means trade-offs in that complexity. This wasn’t for a lack of trying, I remember the team who was focused on the skill system went back and forth – I think they built out 12 different full iterations on the skill system… The great irony is I argued hard against that idea. I was like, ‘This is way too complicated; people are just going to try and figure out the best solution; they’re going to end up with this inventory nightmare; it’s not something we can really expect our audience to do.’ I regret that, really. I do think that that skill system would have been probably better than what we have today, at least for the more ‘pure’ Diablo audience.”
Andrew Chambers
A major idea in Chambers’ analysis is the basic contrast in design approaches between Diablo 3 and Last Epoch. Diablo 3 focused on reaching out beyond its current player community, resulting in simplified systems created for ease of use. In contrast, Last Epoch targets avid ARPG players who seek intricate character setups and a strong trading platform.
Marc Chambers noted that when Diablo 3 was first released, its main emphasis on story and progression meant that its endgame wasn’t as well-developed. Conversely, Last Epoch provides a strong endgame experience influenced by Path of Exile. Even with this criticism, Chambers also pointed out aspects where he believes Diablo 3 shines, like the agility of its abilities, the storytelling, tempo, and enemy creation.
Diablo 3 is still well-loved, and Chambers’ video isn’t suggesting that one game is better. Instead, it points out that Diablo 3 and Last Epoch were created for different types of players and with different aims. This helps clarify why they take different approaches to core ARPG mechanics.
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