Diablo 4 Director Firm on Mandatory Group Play in Dark Citadel

The latest addition to Diablo 4, the Vessel of Hatred expansion, has been generally well-received, but it sparked a bit of controversy among players, particularly when it comes to the Dark Citadel dungeon. This dungeon is designed to be a challenging, raid-like endgame event aimed at groups of players and marks the first time in the Diablo series that content requires teaming up with others. Previous Diablo games have always included a co-op option, yet they could also be played solo—until now.

Fans who prefer to tackle Diablo on their own weren’t shy about sharing their discontent, feeling like they had been pushed into a multiplayer format they weren’t keen on. Despite this, Brent Gibson, the director of Vessel of Hatred, expressed satisfaction with Dark Citadel and the concept of mandatory group content within Diablo.

“I’m standing firm on Dark Citadel,” Gibson remarked in a video chat with Polygon, accompanied by Diablo’s general manager, Rod Fergusson. Gibson made it clear that players shouldn’t feel compelled to dive into this multiplayer experience if it’s not their thing.

“We’ve structured it so that the most efficient gameplay doesn’t necessarily require engaging with the multiplayer content. I appreciate having a vast and rich game that offers various activities, providing players multiple routes to delve into,” he explained.

Fergusson supported this notion, asserting that Diablo 4’s endgame now has a wide enough scope for the developers to start exploring fresh avenues. “What’s exciting about our evolving endgame is that there’s now a rich variety of experiences,” Fergusson noted. Reflecting on the game’s progress, he stated, “When we first started out in season 1 or 2, the focus was narrow. It was about doing the Nightmare Dungeon or the Helltide. But now, by season 6, I find myself in town at the waypoint wondering, ‘What should I do next?’ There are numerous choices: head to Kurast Undercity for runes, hit the Citadel, explore the Pit, tackle a Nightmare Dungeon, fight an Infernal Horde, or take on the Blood Maiden.” Fergusson also highlighted the introduction of the Party Finder feature in Diablo 4, making it easier for players to join forces.

Gibson emphasized the importance of acknowledging the growing segment of gamers, and developers, who can’t envision gaming in any way other than with friends. “Even though plenty of players enjoy gaming solo, we can see a growing community in the industry that’s used to playing games socially or online with others,” he pointed out.

Unfazed by some of the criticisms regarding the multiplayer requirement for Dark Citadel, Gibson noted, “The feedback for the Dark Citadel has been excellent. It’s not a mode everyone will dive into, but for those who do, it’s a blast. We’ll keep our eyes on the Citadel to gather more feedback. But, yes, I’m definitely sticking to this approach.”