Diablo 4 Season 7 has the tough task of following up a season that saw the release the Vessel of Hatred expansion and all of the new content that came with it. So far, Diablo 4's Season of Witchcraft seems to be hitting all of the right notes to make it a success, with the introduction of Witch Powers being among the most popular new seasonal features. However, many Diablo 4 fans are disappointed that one feature that had been present since Season 3 has not returned since it was removed in Season 6.
Despite only existing for three seasons, Diablo 4's Gauntlet and Leaderboards were the primary way players could get a sense of how they stack up against other players. The Gauntlet was an endgame dungeon that tested players' ability to defeat as many enemies as possible in only eight minutes, with the layout of the dungeon changing every week. While trying to earn the best possible score and learning the ideal route for running the weekly Gauntlet made this activity great for the endgame, its removal in Season 6—potentially for good—may actually be a blessing in disguise.
How Diablo 4 Season 7’s Witchcraft Compares to Season 2’s Vampiric Powers
Diablo 4 Season 7 introduces the Witch Power seasonal mechanic, which may feel familiar to Season 2's Vampiric Powers but with welcome improvements.
Diablo 4's Gauntlet May Never Return, and That's Probably for the Best
The Gauntlet Was Prone to Exploitation
The Gauntlet was initially removed in Season 6 to coincide with the release of Vessel of Hatred, with Diablo 4 developers citing the changes to leveling and the paragon system, along with the new Spiritborn class, as the reason for its disappearance that season. While it was thought that once players became accustomed to these new features and a new meta emerged, The Gauntlet would return, Diablo 4 Community Manager Adam Fletcher confirmed The Gauntlet and Leaderboards would not be returning in Season 7. To make matters worse, it sounds like The Gauntlet may never return to Diablo 4 with the developers looking for a new way to implement Leaderboards in the future.
Ultimately, the removal of The Gauntlet and Leaderboards is a tough but necessary decision given how the mode could be exploited by players looking to achieve the top rank. Initially, The Gauntlet drew controversy because of a bug that allowed players to bring overworld buffs into the dungeon. Even with that bug fixed, the most dedicated players were still able to dominate the mode by learning the ideal route for a weekly dungeon layout, optimizing the dungeon's shrine and enemy placement, and grinding the dungeon until they reached the top ranks. While this can be a worthwhile pastime for the top Diablo 4 players, it's generally inaccessible for the average player.
Diablo 4's Leaderboards Can Find New Life in Other Ways
For players who do want to test their skills and shoot for the top ranks of the Leaderboards, the removal of The Gauntlet is an unfortunate part of the latest Diablo 4 season. However, the door is open for Blizzard to reintroduce Leaderboards in a new format that circumvents some of the issues of The Gauntlet while still featuring the competitive endgame activities that players enjoyed about it. To accomplish this Leaderboard rework, Diablo 4 should look toward the success of Diablo 3's version of the mechanic.
Diablo 3's Leaderboards were tied to its Greater Rifts, which featured randomized dungeon layouts and scaling dungeon levels that require Rift Keys of the same level to enter. These Greater Rifts are similar to Diablo 4's Nightmare Dungeons, which could be the perfect replacement for The Gauntlet, especially with how Nightmare Dungeons have become less important in the endgame loop after their function has been swapped from farming Paragon Glyph upgrades to Masterworking materials. The randomized nature of Nightmare Dungeons could allow them to side-step the issue of The Gauntlet's fixed nature, and they could still function as both an endgame test of skill and a farm for Obducite.
Diablo 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
WHERE TO PLAY
Diablo® IV is the ultimate action-RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot.
Embark on the epic campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through a gripping story in a beautifully dark world, or explore an expansive end game: battle iconic bosses for powerful loot, fight back the encroaching onslaught of Hell in Helltides, master the Forge to create your ultimate weapons and progress powerful characters, with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.
Discover the critically acclaimed franchise that defined the Action RPG genre. As the battle between the High Heavens and Burning Hells rages on, hatred devours Sanctuary as evil spreads and a new wave of cultists and worshippers arise to embrace Lilith’s coming. Only a brave few dare to face this threat and bring light to the all-consuming darkness.
Expansive Open WorldForge your own path through the corrupted lands of Sanctuary, an ever-growing, fully explorable world teeming with challenges, quests, enemies, and loot. Join your fellow adventurers, rescue and retake besieged towns, delve into nightmarish dungeons and uncover lost secrets as you fight back evil. The many zones of Sanctuary are yours to explore, and with rotating areas of extreme peril like World Bosses and Helltide, danger lurks at every turn.
Immersive Character DevelopmentCreate and customize your character to face the encroaching darkness. Choose from one of five classes and build your hero with skills, abilities and cosmetics, creating a champion that is uniquely your own. Grow stronger as you progress through powerful Skill Trees and develop even more unique end game specializations with Paragon Boards.
Legendary Gear, Epic BattlesDiscover and experiment with a vast arsenal of powerful weapons, armor and more to fight back against the demons threatening Sanctuary. Explore unique combinations, create your own upgrades and collect a plethora of powerful tools to battle in immersive, action-packed combat against the deadliest of enemies.
Seasons & EventsThe tales of Sanctuary continue to unfold. Create Seasonal Characters and join in fresh adventures - master new mechanics and take on the latest threats in each new Season. Complete harrowing feats of the Season Journey and earn new Battle Pass rewards. Plus, sharpen your swords and get in the spirit of the seasons when Limited-Time Events sweep through Sanctuary.
End Game UndertakingsThere’s even more Diablo® IV to explore as you reach higher levels and more fearsome World Tiers. Face the greatest challenge yet as you take on the most powerful demons in The Pit, steel yourself against Uber Bosses to reap uber unique rewards, fight back overflowing armies of Hell as Helltides emerge across Sanctuary, battle larger-than-life World Bosses, and master the Forge to create the mightiest weapons fit for a hero.
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Diablo
- Number of Players
- 1-2 players
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- File Size Xbox Series
- 158.25 GB
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-2 players (console only)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
