Diablo 4 Dev Confirms That if Hardcore Players Die in PvP, They’re Dead Forever
Hardcore mode has been a time-honored Diablo tradition going back to Diablo II, challenging players with the possibility of permanent death. But what happens if your Hardcore character happens to stumble into one of Diablo IV’s Fields of Hatred? Well, watch your back.
Asked whether are consequences for Hardcore characters who die in Diablo IV’s PvP, Blizzard community director Adam Fletcher said simply, “Permadeath.”
In other words, it’s time to roll a new character.
Permadeath. https://t.co/ZxRz4eE5GX
— Adam Fletcher (@PezRadar) April 20, 2023
Hardcore players will want to watch their step then, since the Fields of Hatred can be entered at will on Diablo IV’s open-world. There players can collect Shards of Hatred by killing other players as well as monsters. The areas also feature special vendors that serve as a further enticement to test your might in one of Diablo IV’s PvP zones.
For the daring, though, there’s the Fearless Combatant achievement, which can only be earned by getting 10 PvP kills in Hardcore Mode. Otherwise you can avoid Fields of Hatred altogether, which is likely the more prudent route unless you get to be especially powerful.
In the meantime, fans will get to try Diablo IV one more time before launch as part of an upcoming “server slam.” The server slam, which is designed to stress test Diablo IV’s servers before launch, will include the various changes from previous beta tests. It will commence at 12pm PST on Friday and conclude at 12pm PST on Sunday.
While you wait, check out our recent interview with Diablo IV’s developers, in which they talk about class changes, dungeons, and more ahead of the final test.
Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
Blizzard Entertainment, the developer of the popular hack and slash video game series Diablo, has confirmed that if hardcore players die in Player versus Player (PvP) combat, they will not be able to be resurrected.
Diablo, a single-player role-playing game first released in 1997, has evolved into a multi-player game and is one of the most popular games in the genre. Players can join groups and fight monsters in a dungeon setting with the goal of finding powerful loot, such as rare weapons and armor. The game also features a game mode called “Hardcore”, which is designed for players who are more daring and looking for a greater challenge. In hardcore mode, players will have only one life and once they die, they are eliminated from the game forever.
During a developer conference on February 15th, the lead designer of Diablo 4, John Hight, confirmed that hardcore rules also applied to PvP modes. This means that if you are killed by another player in PvP, you will not be able to revive your character and are effectively dead forever. Hight also noted that he believes this will add additional strategic elements to the game and encourage players to be more careful when playing in hardcore mode.
While the new rule may seem harsh to some players, it is likely to be a welcome challenge for those looking for the ultimate in-game experience. With the increase in popularity of PvP games, this news will no doubt be appreciated by fans of the series. For those brave enough to take on the risk, however, they will want to be sure they are prepared before venturing into hardcore mode.
