It's been a month since launch, and players continue to be frustrated over the itemization system present in Diablo 4. In the absence of viable sets, exciting loot, a rewarding endgame, and quality-of-life features, many fans have become nostalgic over Diablo 3 and its Greater Rifts. Whereas Diablo 4 seems to put greater emphasis on assembling a character's gear, the gameplay in Diablo 3 was more concerned with challenging players through increasingly more difficult Greater Rift levels. Obtaining an item set was a trifling matter in Reaper of Souls, but knowing how to make the most of it and how to push beyond one's limit was the bread-and-butter of Diablo 3's endgame.
Though shifting the focus of the grind toward loot as opposed to content isn't necessarily a bad thing, the key problem that Diablo 4 players have with its endgame is that the loot they're meant to chase is either uninteresting from a design standpoint, or nearly mathematically unobtainable. Uber Uniques in Diablo 4 have a drop rate unheard of in the genre, even by Path of Exile standards, and when their drop rate accidentally becomes viable enough to farm, Blizzard is quick to patch it out.
However, the frustration in the community runs deeper than just Uber Uniques, as a Diablo 4 player by the name of NickBucketTV pointed out that the vast majority of Rogue Legendaries and Uniques don't feel satisfying at all. Given the current lack of balance, both in terms of class and attributes, Bows are automatically useless to Rogues due to the way Damage to Distant Enemies compares against Vulnerable Damage. Affixes and Legendary Aspects suffer from being too situational, and some players are already worried Malignant Hearts follow the same design philosophy.
One of the underlying problems behind this feeling of dissatisfaction lies with the absurd enchanting costs in Diablo 4. It's much easier, and far more viable to turn a Rare item into a "god roll" than it is to salvage a poorly-rolled Legendary. The excitement at endgame in Diablo 4 revolves around finding the ideal Rare item with affixes that many consider boring. More often than not, a Legendary item is a disappointment, solely useful for the Aspect it may contain (provided the roll is good), and given that the top-tier Uniques are beyond reach for the vast majority of players, the community's frustration becomes justified.
Ultimately, even though Diablo 4 has been widely praised for its campaign, as well as for bringing open world to Diablo, it may take a while until it lives up to its true potential. Though many players are feeling exhausted from the current grind, the live service nature of the game will at least ensure that Diablo 4 and its expansions will continue to be supported for many years to come.
Diablo 4 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.