Console - New update, no lobbies, no chat confirmed

Well, least we got a response…still not sure the devs played D2 OG.

Explain to me how I am suppose to trade with no text chat? I offer a WF and the other person offers a Shako…how do I say, no…offer more….what else you got?

The no lobbies might work itself out if there are enough categories, but no text chat….yea.

Console Lobbies / Chat Update

During the Early Access Beta, we identified and fixed a bug preventing console players from grouping up in multiplayer. As we progressed, this system was working as intended for the Open Beta during our testing; and when we modernized the Diablo II experience for the console, we designed the game so players didn’t have to rely on lobbies to play with others. Instead, players can invite their friends into their game directly or utilize the Party Finder to join up alongside other players with similar objectives. With that said, over the past couple of weeks, we have seen many discussions and expressed concern over the difficulty of joining the appropriate games based on a player’s current activities. In Beta, finding other parties on console was confined to a few conditions. For example, if the player was on an identical quest as you, with a similar character level and the same difficulty, you could join into that other player’s multiplayer session.

For modes such as PvP or the Cow Level, console lobbies don’t propagate until you hit a few minimum requirements. For PvP, players need to reach level 9. For the Cow Level, players need to complete that challenge on their own front first. For these two modes, once those conditions have been met, console lobbies of those activities will become visible for those players. There is also a Free Roam option players can opt into if no quest is selected. There is no quest restriction, but players that share similar levels and identical difficulty will be able to share a multiplayer session. A lobby is automatically converted to Free Roam once a player’s character completes the initial quest that a lobby started as in that multiplayer session.

Following our Beta, we’ve seen many console players requesting more options to better navigate activities in multiplayer. We’ve added Bosses and Zones tabs to the Party Finder, so players can better coordinate on that front, alongside the Pandemonium event, Uber Diablo event, and PvP/Dueling. Some console players have also requested the option to create custom lobbies. That is not a feature we’re supporting at launch, but as we progress, we’ll continue to monitor feedback on this topic after the launch of Diablo II: Resurrected.

Shown below is a breakdown of additional parameters players will be able to sort by in the Party Finder at launch beyond the quest options that were present during Beta:

Boss Kills

  • Andariel: Requires Act 1 completion
  • Duriel: Requires Act 2 completion
  • Mephisto: Requires Act 3 completion
  • Diablo: Requires Act 4 completion
  • Baal: Requires Act 5 completion
  • Cow King: Act 4 or Act 5 completion depending on Classic or Expansion character

Zones

  • Free Roam: No requirement
  • Tristram: Requires nothing
  • Canyon of the Magi Tombs: Requires Act 1 completion
  • Chaos Sanctuary: Requires Act 2 completion
  • Pindleskin: Requires Act 4 completion
  • Maggot Lair: Requires Act 1 completion

Other

  • Pandemonium Event: Act 5 completion
  • Uber Diablo: Act 5 completion
  • PVP/Dueling: Requires level 9

Lastly, we’ve seen a lot of discussion surrounding the Chat functionality on console. We designed the game to be the best experience on each platform you play, for console, the primary way for players to communicate is through native voice chat on their platform. So, we’re not making any changes on that front, but we’ll continue to monitor that feedback to see if it remains a prevalent area of concern for our players. If so, we’ll explore making changes or adding more functionality to the in-game chat system post-launch.
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d3#console-lobbies-chat-update-1

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Agreed. I think those tiles will work themselves out I.e Baal runs…. Chaos runs presuming there are enough ppl. Still not sure how the level restrictions will work or whether it is just hitting that action breakpoint (like a level 80 doing NM baal that lowers can join even if getting rushed thru normal)

The text chat is absolutely a big deal. Use the native platform voice chat…. Uh…. Hello devs… have you EVER been in random group chat on a console? Clearly you have not if you think this is a “good” idea. No interest to listen to some stupid kid spewing racist bull$hit or so basement chip flicker heavy breathing into his mic while heating up hot pockets. Definitely not haggling over voice chat as an OG D2 player waiting for some try hard playing the game for the first time to call ya a “noob” after an counter offer b/c their ask is dumb. Like Ace I wonder if these devs actually played the game and own any console platform……… sigh

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“we want to honor the integrity of the original game by destroying multiplayer”

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That a quote from turd Ferguson? Lol

It’s a bastardized quote from the original post above.

diablo 2 was not on the playstation.

Can somebody tell the devs that the nintendo switch doesn’t have voice chat like the ps4 or xbox?

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No real mod support either, no future plans.
I guess they found the jackpot with the “purists” - do minimum work.
That is, until they see the sales of course.

Easiest refund in history, I am not going to be there, glad there are many other games to play anyways and honestly would feel guilty to give them my money given current, ehm, circumstances.

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I like how they say ‘ we’ll continue to monitor that feedback’?!

That’s a line of bs. This is a remaster, box sale.

This isn’t a service model game. There is no way Activision is investing more money into a remaster game to change core features. This is a box sale and done.

We ain’t seeing lobbies or chat on console.

They meant we will continue to ignore all your feedback.

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I propose to remove the lobby and chat from the PC for the same feeling from the game and leveling the playing field for everyone. Removal is easier than adding this new functionality. I guess they can handle it? :wink:

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I like the sound of that idea.

Yup…. Cash grab. Only thing I’m surprised they didn’t do more CE version to jack up sales. Maybe they plan to offer stash tabs or extra char slots on console stores to keep bleeding the community While the “keep listening” and ignoring feedback

The" we keep listening" has only the purpose to spread some hope . Hope always helps not loosing customers . In the end it was just exactly the Version which was planned. There will be no movement in the old direction. A small text chat Option would have been a compromise. But you know its easier to call this wheel “modern way”

We should keep pushing to have the “modern” lobbies implemented onto the PC version. Keep the PC players part of the conversation.

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Unfortunately they might of already expected low numbers because it’s a PC game being ported to the consoles.

We might be screwed no matter what lol

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I believe you’re right, they’ll just let the console version pull the numbers it pulls instead of really bringing the D2 experience to console.

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I cant even answer to their blue post in the D2R general discussion forum, because “I have to own D2R to post there”.

Well, I own D2R - on PS4 as a preorder.
But thats not good enough for these people it seems.
Talk about second class customers.

I’m sick of Blizzard.
They treat their customers on console like trash in every respect.

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I did my refund today for PS5 after I saw that post, though I can’t reply to it since I technically don’t own the game anymore. I don’t know what else to say - anyone who thinks the system as it stands now is going to facilitate a good multiplayer experience is in for a rude awakening.

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Could you imagine? Take a 25 year old game and ADD a cash shop to it. Not actually add lobbies and text chat, but add a gawd damn cash shop.

Now that would be the total opposite of ‘staying true to the original game’ but ya know what? I guarantee Activision has mentioned in design meetings at one point.

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