Blizzard says it's perfectly fine to take a break after finishing certain goals in Diablo 4, so that players are fresh for the release of Season 1. While not a controversial comment, by any means, some Diablo 4 players find it funny to hear a game developer of a live-service game so candidly encouraging players to take a break from playing the game. It perhaps shows an understanding of how to play Diablo 4 in a healthy manner, even if it's not the most profitable thing to encourage.
Diablo 4 launched on June 5, so it has already been over a month since the game's release. While the game can be played endlessly, there are finishing points where players may consider they've done everything they want to do. Examples include the completion of Diablo 4's campaign, the level 50 skill point cap, the World Tier 4 capstone dungeon, reaching level 100, or defeating the level 100 boss Echo of Lilith. Each requires increasingly significant amounts of time investment.
While Blizzard would certainly love it if every player stuck with Diablo 4 without pause, it understands that's not realistic. During its latest Blizzard campfire chat livestream, Diablo 4 associate game director Joe Piepiora recommended that players "take a break to play something else for a little while" once they do everything they want to in the game. He even acknowledges that developers on the Diablo 4 team do the same thing.
Of course, Piepiora still wants those players to come back to Diablo 4. He says that when Season 1 of Diablo 4 launches, that's a "great time to come back." He hopes that Diablo 4 players will have enjoyed what they've played of the game, and will want to return. That's what the idea of a seasonal content schedule is all about. Season 1 will have new content to play, offering a fresh experience for new and returning players.
One of the harshest criticisms of Diablo 4 up to this point is that endgame feels like it doesn't have enough tangible goals. Piepiora may not be acknowledging these criticisms specifically in his comments, but it's clear that there's an understanding. Most Diablo 4 players will not get to level 100, and Blizzard doesn't want players to be burnt out before it can start its post-launch content.
As refreshing as Piepiora's response might be, there is a serious question of whether Diablo 4's live service plans will prove successful. It's unclear how many Diablo 4 players are still playing a month after launch, how many will return for Season 1, and whether Season 1 will persuade them to continue playing after. Season 1 starts July 20 and will introduce a robust amount of new content. It might be worth revisiting for Diablo 4 players currently taking a break.
Diablo 4 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.