The eternal debate between quality and quantity has always been at the heart of action RPG design. While some games shower players with rewards, others take a more measured approach, making each meaningful drop feel like a genuine achievement. Right now, we’re seeing this philosophical divide play out in real time between two of the genre’s biggest names.
On one side, we have Path of Exile 2, where developer Grinding Gear Games continues to maintain their notoriously strict approach to loot distribution. Players might see their screens filled with items, but finding something truly worthwhile (or even relevant to your own character) can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Meanwhile, Blizzard seems to be taking Diablo 4 in the opposite direction with Season 7, which launched just two days ago. The difference in philosophy couldn’t be more stark, and players are definitely taking notice.
In Path of Exile 2, the struggle for meaningful rewards has become a hot topic of discussion. While Grinding Gear Games recently acknowledged that the game might not feel rewarding enough, they’re taking an admirably cautious approach to fixing it. After all, as they themselves put it in a recent forum post, “it’s very hard to reduce drops if we increase them by too much.”
This measured philosophy extends to their recent updates, where they’ve carefully tweaked rare monster drops and implemented a system ensuring better loot from unique bosses. It’s like watching a master chef adjust their seasoning—a pinch here, a dash there, but never enough to overwhelm the dish.
Meanwhile, Diablo 4′s Season 7 has thrown caution to the wind, serving up a veritable buffet of Unique items that has some players feeling like they’ve wandered into an all-you-can-loot extravaganza.
Loot feels crazy right now. Is it intended?
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This dramatic shift has caught many players off guard, especially given Blizzard’s previous stance on loot scarcity.
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Not everyone is complaining about this new season’s generous approach, however. Notably, some players find the abundance rather refreshing. However, as with any major change to a game’s core systems, not everyone believes that more always equals better.
The abundance of loot in Diablo 4‘s latest season has sparked an interesting debate within the community. While some players are reveling in the shower of Uniques, others worry that it might be diminishing the thrill of the hunt.
After all, what’s the point of chasing that perfect item when your inventory is already bursting with gear of every color in the spectrum?
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The community’s reaction highlights an amusing paradox in player behavior, one that perfectly encapsulates the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation that developers often find themselves in.
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Some veterans are already looking ahead, predicting how this generous approach might affect the game’s economy in the long run.
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This back-and-forth between players perfectly illustrates the challenge that both Blizzard and GGG face in trying to strike the right balance. Too little loot can make a game feel stingy and unrewarding, but too much can rob those legendary drops of their magic.
It’s really like trying to find the perfect spice level in a curry—what’s bland for one player might be overwhelming for another.
What’s your take on the great loot debate? Do you prefer Path of Exile 2‘s more restrictive approach, or are you enjoying Diablo 4‘s current generosity? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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