This is the very first time I quit a season because of the theme. It has never been so hardly imposed on players before. You want double gobs, mats, free cube, default LoN, kill streaks? Use them. You don’t like them? Don’t use them.
This one is an entirely different animal. It even follows me in town if I’m not careful. And it is a weak theme, unless exploited. People are clearing 150 on Day 3 with 1500 paragons, combining theme stacks. Is this supposed to be the end game for 3 months?
Years ago, weather effects were introduced into the game. I cried in forums how this was a cheap blow, as it doesn’t add to the dark feeling and immersion, just makes it harder to see and hurts your eyes.
This theme now is way worse. All effects are bad, as they are accompanied by a darkening of the screen, mixed with bright flashes. The lightning-fire breath is the worst, though. It darkens the screen to set players up for three massive lightning bolts that fry the dilated pupils.
This is not cool, Blizzard. You are changing a fundamental characteristic of the game: the aggressiveness of its lighting. Please, stay true to the taste established in so many years of Diablo 3!
Yes, flashy flashy gets the kids addicted, but your games have never relied on that to get you hooked. If the player base is dropping, it’s because there is not enough new content, to name one reason. I’m glad the theme won’t stay as part of the core game at least. Still, it forces me to leave my D3 friends in season for 3 whole months. I’m playing a little solo HC, but it won’t keep me long. Soon, I’ll start looking for another game to bridge the gap until Season 22.