One of the biggest issues I encountered while playing Diablo IV’s betas, was the lack of a map overlay. It’s a feature that is found in nearly every popular ARPG, but it is noticeably missing in the next entry in the series that arguably defined ARPGs. Blizzard recently announced a list of changes heading to the game for launch as a result of feedback from the two beta events, but there was no mention about a map overlay. Unfortunately, those of us hoping for its addition should not expect it, at least for now.
Recently, Rod Fergusson of Blizzard Entertainment who serves as GM of all things Diablo, responded on Twitter that there are no plans at the moment for a map overlay. He didn’t elaborate on a reason or explanation as to why the development team is not considering it, which is a bit frustrating. At the very least, it could be available as an option for those who want it, and those who don’t care for it, don’t have to enable it.
In related news, Diablo IV has gone gold and Early Access will begin on June 1 at 4:00pm PDT. That means we should not expect any delays, however it is likely that we will have a day one patch.