Inflation doesn’t really work on videos game. If anything, the cost goes down as time goes on. Not the other way. For example, D2 that was released in 2000’s was dirt cheap a few years after release.
AAA game’s are still going for around $60.
AA games are going for around $40.
D2R was the same game budgeted at a today’s AA price range.
Even the SC remake wasn’t budgeted at AA price range.
Play Grim Dawn. Developers are very active. New expansion coming this year. Very active community. There is also a D2 mod for it.
This is not an excuse. Look at Titan Quest and when its expansions were released. The studios operate differently and always have. If you think this excuse is valid then you think IronLore/Crate is a better company. I would also argue an indie game like Death Must Die that is in early release and heavy RNG based is already better than the Diablo franchise in everything but lore and artwork.