Diablo 2 Resurrected was an announcement many years in the making, with fans wondering when a remake would come to fruition long before the game was officially revealed. Luckily, it seems to be what fans were after, being a down-to-the-detail remake of Diablo 2. However, there are some positive changes where accessibility is concerned.
In an interview following the BlizzCon Opening Ceremony, Diablo 2 Resurrected developers Robert Gallerini and Matthew Cederquist confirmed some of the accessibility changes that players can expect when Diablo 2 Resurrected launches. For those worried that the remake, which is meant to be as authentic as possible, might be lacking in the accessibility department, Blizzard has taken steps to ensure that the options are there for those that need them.
According to Cederquist, accessibility options were one of the first big changes the team decided to make. "When we talk about modernization, accessibility was one of the first key things that was on our mind," Cederquist told us. The game will feature a plethora of enhancements, including low vision mode, colorblind modes, text enhancements, and more. On top of all that, controller support is being added to PC, expanding available options even further.
"Even just little things, like accessibility of the size of the screen you can play it on, it's a lot bigger. It is very important to us," Gallerini elaborated. Accessibility has become increasingly important, especially as the voices of people with disabilities become more prominent throughout the games industry.
Diablo 2Â means a lot of things to a lot of people, with fans of every background having a special place in their heart for the ARPG. While there were bound to be some improvements to the UI, as well as other quality-of-life enhancements, hearing the team state firsthand that accessibility matters to it is a great thing. Including accessibility enhancements makes the audience that much bigger, and that's a great thing for the game's future.
Diablo 2 has stood the test of time, its fingerprints still visible on ARPGs releasing even today. Diablo 2 Resurrected could conceivably extend its lifespan another 20 years, assuming that it launches as a truly touched-up version of the original. Currently, that seems to be the vision for Blizzard, as it's promising that the game will even include shot-for-shot cinematics.
Diablo 2 Resurrected is slated to release in 2021, though Blizzard hasn't pinned down an exact release date just yet. The developer is planning alpha tests throughout the year for the game, and while those haven't been finalized yet either, fans should know more about the game soon, including all of the new accessibility options that are being included along with it.
Diablo 2 Resurrected is in development for PC and consoles.