Blizzard has said all along that they didn’t want the console version of Diablo III to be some slapped together cash grab and their appearance on the most recent episode of “Conversations With Creators” reinforces that notion. Production Director John Hight, Lead Console Designer Josh Mosqueira, and Senior System Designer Jason Bender each took turns talking about how Diablo III benefits from the PS4 and why it was the perfect choice for Blizzard’s first console game in decades.
According to Mosqueira, Blizzard wanted to create an “intimate connection between the player and the character” with Diablo III on the PS4 and, to the end, the developer believes “the Controller is king” in this new version. He concludes by saying, “What we didn’t want to do is simplify the experience. […] What we wanted to do is streamline the experience.”
Lofty goals are great, but direct examples are better and John Hight confirmed that the PS4’s touchpad will be used for inventory management: “One of the things we’re excited about the controller is the touchpad. We think the touchpad’s gonna give a lot of opportunity to make that interface easier.”
I’m still not sure how that little touchpad will work with a DualShock 4 in my hand, but Blizzard’s “Conversations With Creators” episode is definitely worth a watch.
