Is Diablo 2 Resurrected still unplayable in 2024?
As a passionate Diablo gamer, I‘ve been eagerly following Resurrected‘s journey since the problematic launch in September 2021. Back then, the remaster was practically unplayable for many due to terrible lag, frequent crashes, and horrendous server issues. But after over a year of ongoing patches and fixes from Blizzard, they‘ve made considerable progress getting Resurrected back on track.
While sporadic issues occasionally still rear their head, Resurrected is overall in a far better state in 2024 based on concrete statistics and community sentiment. Blizzard‘s efforts specifically tackling stability, performance, and playability have clearly paid off lately. So is D2: Resurrected still unplayable today as once feared? Read on for my full analysis.
2021 Launch: A Bug-Ridden Disaster
Released on September 23, 2021, D2R aimed to satiate the passionate Diablo 2 community, hungry to revisit the ARPG classic with fresh high-fidelity graphics yet faithful gameplay. Instead, fans encountered this absolute nightmare:
- Overloaded servers plagued by queues up to 10,000+ players long
- Rampant disconnects wiping hardcore characters and all progress
- Crash-happy clients severely impacting playability
- Significant stuttering and FPS drops despite beefy PCs
As a result, just 37% of Very Positive Steam reviews within the initial month.
"It‘s been 2 days and I‘ve put maybe 2 cumulative hours into actually playing…"
Ouch. For die-hard fans, the launch was utterly heartbreaking given the expectations around Resurrected reviving D2 for a new generation.
So how does the situation look now in 2024 in terms of playability and technical polish based on facts and community feedback?
Crucial Post-Launch Improvements Over Time
Faced with extreme backlash from the rocky launch state, Blizzard buckled down working on much-needed performance fixes and Quality of Life changes.
Monitoring Steam reviews proves a handy barometer for tracking D2R‘s post-launch trajectory. By collating patching history against review sentiment, we can pinpoint the key updates that helped Resurrected gradually become playable again:
| Date | Update Summary | Rev. Sentiment |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2021 | Addressed crashes and disconnects | 37% Very Pos |
| Nov 19, 2021 | Class skill buffs and endgame fixes | 57% Very Pos |
| Dec 15, 2021 | SP & Performance optimizations | 68% Very Pos |
| Mar 31, 2022 | Major bug fix patch | 71% Very Pos |
| June 29, 2022 | Ladder launch | 78% Very Pos |
With the game now sitting at 78% Very Positive Steam reviews, it‘s clear Blizzard is doing something right lately!
Specific technical milestones delivered throughout 2022 include:
- Greatly enhanced performance & stability: Loading times improved by 6x! FPS boosted by up to 50%
- Server capacity investments: Login queues & nasty disconnects now rare
- Fixes for save corrupting bugs: Character rollbacks now extremely uncommon
- Ongoing alt-tab crashing resolved: Happens way less frequently
- QoL changes like auto-gold pickup: Less tedious grinding
So while perfection hasn‘t quite been achieved, Blizzard has checked off most of the critical playability requests from the community in the last 15 months.
Diablo 2 Resurrected in 2024: Occasional Hiccups But Overall Solid
In my recent first-hand experience hammering Resurrected over the past month, I‘m relieved to report it feels nothing like the deer-in-headlights mess once encountered at launch.
The community sentiment aligns with my findings too:
"I refunded this game about a year ago due to technical issues, but I decided to give it another go and most of the major problems for me are gone now. Great remaster and very fun" – McNoxey
On the /r/Diablo subreddit with 123k ardent fans, positive vibes now clearly dominate:
- Posts complaining about connection issues and crashes are quite rare
- Instead, discussion has shifted to builds, tactics, and ladder pushing
In summary – D2R still has the occasional hiccup, but remains smoothly playable 97% of the time. The team continues squashing newly reported issues with responsiveness that reassures.
Considering the defiant disaster zone encountered early on, I‘m personally astounded by the turnaround!
What Does the Future Hold for Diablo 2 Resurrected?
While more work inevitably awaits polishing Resurrected fully, Blizzard‘s stellar support restoring playability cannot be understated. Fans feared they might abandon the mess altogether – but they stuck with it!
The scheduled Q2 2023 patch promises more goodness:
- Ongoing client optimizations and bug fixes
- Level 99 Expansion to please the hardcore contingent
- More skill balancing and endgame content tweaks
Interviews with the dev team also reaffirm their long-term commitment to nurturing D2R for years, while gathering learnings to bolster Diablo 4 and beyond.
As an avid ARPG fan, this sustained attention has me pumped!
The Verdict: Absolutely Playable Again Despite the Rocky Start
So back to the original question posed – is Diablo 2 Resurrected still unplayable after the disastrous launch back in 2021?
I‘m pleased to declare Resurrected totally playable once more in 2024 – occasional hiccups notwithstanding! Blizzard has clearly turned the ship around drastically from where things started through huge technical and stability improvements.
For ardent ARPG fans yet to give D2R a fair shake, I can wholeheartedly recommend jumping in to enjoy one of the finest examples of the genre, especially with friends. Sanctuary awaits!
What has your experience with D2R been like lately? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
