The open beta for the upcoming fourth main installment in the Diablo series was a huge success, with over one million players leveling characters to the temporary level cap. It was also a good opportunity for the developers to get feedback about the game, and Blizzard delivered on transforming that feedback into change.
However, one aspect many players complained about was the lack of map overlay. And, of course, that begs the question, will Diablo 4 have a map overlay option?
Does Diablo 4 Have a Map Overlay?
Diablo 4 does not have a 2D map overlay like in other action role-playing games such as Diablo 2, Path of Exile, and Last Epoch. When asked if a map overlay would eventually be added to Diablo 4, Rod Fergusson, Diablo’s general manager, responded, “no plans at the moment.”
The replies to Fergusson’s tweet were mixed, with some people asking the team to reconsider and others saying they actually don’t mind the current setup. One player points out map overlays’ importance for hardcore runs and navigation. Another player points out that a map overlay can impact immersion and take away from the visuals.
Both are valid points, but considering Diablo 4 is targeting a much broader market than just veteran hardcore aRPG players, perhaps the decision does make sense. Diablo 4 does have a world map, something more akin to MMORPG games, a genre the game slightly leans into. Players can drop pins onto the world map, highlighting a route to follow to get to the destination.
Fans can learn more about Diablo 4 this Thursday, April 20, at 2 p.m. ET, during the developer livestream. Perhaps the team will shed more light on their decision to forego this highly requested quality-of-life feature.
