17,263
edits
Changes
ADVERTISEMENT
From Diablo Wiki
no edit summary
Arena or deathmatch style (PvP) player vs. player combat was planned for inclusion in Diablo 3, and an Arena style PvP was very popular when demoed at Blizzcon 2010 and 2011. That feature did not make it into the final game<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-future-of-diablo-pvp-posted-dueling Team Death Match Shelved] - Jay Wilson, Blizzard, 27 December 2012</ref>, and there was no PvP at allrefall<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/no-pvp-at-launch No PvP at D3 launch] - Blizzard Press Release, March 2012</ref> in D3v until late in 2012 when the [[Brawling]] feature<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-3-dueling-re-named-to-brawling PvP is now "Brawling"] - February 10, 2012</ref> was introduced. (Just in time to beat the "within this year" promise Jay Wilson made<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/new-info-on-pvp-in-diablo-iii PvP in Diablo 3] - Blizzard, April 29, 2012</ref> in early 2012.) Brawling allows PvP in-game, but it has no balance changes, and no record keeping or ranking tables, and most fans find it much less than compelling.
Throughout 2012, 2013, and into 2014 fans have repeatedly asked the developers about an Arena combat mode, and always Blizzard has said they like the idea and want to support PvP properly, but haven't found the ideal system for that yet. Speculation <ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/no-pvp-at-launch Arenas coming post-launch] - Blizzard, March 2012</ref> <blue>We know a lot of you are looking forward to PvP, and we’ll be focusing our post-launch efforts on making sure the Arenas are as brutal, bloody, fast-paced, and awesome as we know they can be. In the meantime, we’re in the process of putting the finishing touches on what we think is a truly epic campaign and co-op experience for launch.</blue> That quote was from March 2012, and more than two years later arenas remain merely an item on a wish list. There is some fan speculation that it Arenas will finally be included a core feature in the second [[Diablo 3 Expansion]] is possible, but likely just wishful thinkingthat is not based on any official information.
==Why no Arena Mode?==
The question has been asked many times, and always the developers say the system , as working, just wasn't right for Diablo 3. Josh Mosquera replied to an interview question about it in July 2013.<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-3-developers-video-interview D3 Developer Interview] - Josh Mosqueira, July 2013</ref>
<blue>Josh Mosqueira: But was [Arena with pre-made characters] the right expression of PvP for Diablo? Something we really struggled with is, does it feel like Diablo when you’re not A: using your character that has all your cool items, and does it feel like Diablo in the fact that you’re not getting any items. I think everybody intrinsically gets the idea that a PvP mode in Diablo 3 should be really fun, and we’ve seen examples that in bursts it can be a lot of fun. So the questions is how do we make sure it feels like thematically... not just a side product, but part of the overall core fantasy of the game.</blue>
Most players greatly enjoyed<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-diablo-podcast-48-blizzcon-and-the-pvp-demo Diablo 3 Podcast, PvP Delays] - The Diablo Podcast, October 2011</ref> the Arena mode in the Blizzcon 2010 and 2011 demo -- using pre-made characters for a skill-based, rather than level/item based winner -- and Blizzard's refusal to recreate that sort of system seems suspicious to some fans. Speculation Fan speculation is that Blizzard felt that sort of system in Diablo 3 would be too similar to their planned [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DotA DotA]-style game, which is targeted for release in 2014 as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_of_the_Storm Heroes of the Storm].
