This time around, Diablo IV isn’t a problem of balancing, difficulty, or even drop rate, but a problem of design for a specific category of player. One issue could be driving some players’ purchase of the game and possibly a lack of consideration for accessibility on the part of Blizzard. The topic has caused quite a stir on the game’s official forums, but so far there has been no news from the developers.
Diablo IV’s camera is making gamers sick
If you have never suffered from motion sickness, you may not have noticed the problem. However, after multiple betas and a server slam, some players are still facing the same problem: they can’t play Diablo IV without getting sick.
Motion sickness, well known in VR games, can also occur in games where the camera is at a certain angle and has little or no configurability.
In Diablo IV, the problem is there because the camera is way too close for some.
You know Diablo well. With so many enemies invading the screen, it can be difficult to make out what’s going on, especially considering the amount of blood the enemies have spilled.
Between that and the large monsters and a camera very close to the character makes some players nauseous.
Posts are piling up on the official forums explaining that the game is very cool, but that it’s necessary to be able to zoom out because the camera is a real problem physically.
“Unfortunately, it’s difficult to enjoy a game that gives you motion sickness and migraines. Completely unplayable in its current form.”
Of course, some Diablo fans couldn’t resist taunting fans with motion sickness by declaring that they should seek treatment rather than asking the developers to adjust the game’s accessibility. A classic.
Whether it’s gamers who are color blind or suffer from motion sickness due to the camera, many companies correct their game based on feedback to make it more accessible. Blizzard could well pull out of the game by customizing the camera, even optional, which wouldn’t change anything for players who don’t worry.