Getting some of Diablo 2’s best loot will be easier in the game’s upcoming remaster. Activision Blizzard – currently facing a lawsuit alleging years of discrimination and harassment, which you can see a summary of below – has revealed on Diablo 3’s forums that Ladder-only rune words, unique items, and horadric cube recipes won’t be restricted to Ladder rank play, and will now be included in non-Ladder multiplayer and single-player.
“We understand these items complement prominent builds and playstyles cherished by the community,” community manager Hooley says. “Furthermore, we have heard the community ask to include these items into the single-player experience for quite some time. Now players playing solo can also partake in the metas that have become popularised from the original multiplayer Ladder experience. Furthermore, single-player will now also include access to the Pandemonium Event and Uber Diablo content.”
The community manager goes on to explain that Ladder ranking and listings will be implemented shortly after launch to “mitigate server impact and protect server stability of the game during the launch window”. The slight delay will also allow more players to participate in the race through the first season’s Ladder while making sure everything runs smoother.
We don’t know when Diablo 2’s Ladder is kicking off, but Hooley says the team will let you know “the exact date and time in September” when they have a precise gauge on that.
Diablo 2: Resurrected’s open beta kicks off later today – here’s when it unlocks in your area.
Activision Blizzard is facing a lawsuit filed in July by the state of California alleging years of discrimination and harassment. Since then, CEO Bobby Kotick has called the company’s initial response “tone deaf”, employees have staged a walkout, Blizzard president J Allen Brack has left, and the ABK Workers Alliance has demanded change at the company. The lawsuit is ongoing; follow the latest developments here.