“I think it’s silly,” says Diablo creator David Brevik, who isn’t happy with today’s ARPGs because he doesn’t enjoy the mindless mass slaughter. The Diablo and Diablo 2 lead designer and programmer believes that “ARPGs have increasingly leaned toward killing massive groups of enemies at extreme speed.”

The action RPG genre was born in 1996 with Diablo, a dark and immersive experience that revolutionized the industry with its haunting atmosphere and addictive gameplay. Diablo 2 perfected the formula, solidifying its place as a legendary title among fans. However, over time, the genre has shifted toward a faster-paced, more chaotic style of gameplay—one that Brevik isn’t particularly fond of.

In an interview with VideoGamer, Brevik shared his thoughts on the evolution of ARPGs. “I think ARPGs in general have started to lean towards this: killing lots of enemies everywhere extremely quickly,” he said. Though he didn’t name specific games, it’s easy to assume he’s referring to Diablo 4 and other modern ARPGs, where combat is significantly faster than in the past.

Brevik, however, still considers Diablo 2 the gold standard for ARPG pacing: “I don’t find it as personal and realistic as in Diablo 2. I think the pace of Diablo 2 is great. That’s one of the reasons it’s endured. I don’t find it very attractive to kill screens full of things instantly, raze them, and walk through the level killing everything.”

MMOs Are Suffering from the Same Problem

Brevik believes that MMOs are also falling into the same trap as ARPGs, with an overemphasis on speed and efficiency at the cost of meaningful gameplay.

“I think MMOs have definitely moved in that direction. How fast can you level up? How fast can you kill everything? It’s all about speed and things like that, but, actually, I think that makes the experience a little bit worse. And I tend to avoid that direction.”

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