The Review
Blizzard's 2023 entry in the Diablo series launched to strong critic scores (86 on Metacritic) but one of the steepest critic-to-player divides on this list — its Metacritic user score sits at just 2.7, with the bulk of user ratings negative, largely a reaction to endgame grind and monetization at launch.
Two expansions and roughly a dozen seasons later, critics and players increasingly agree the game has turned a corner: the Lord of Hatred expansion is widely cited as the moment loot flow, pacing, and endgame structure finally clicked, with reviewers calling it the closest the game has felt to Blizzard's original pitch.
Lingering criticism in 2026 mostly targets the battle pass (pacing and perceived value) and premium cosmetic pricing — the in-game shop itself is generally regarded as cosmetic-only and not pay-to-win, but some fans worry recent high-priced collaborations signal where pricing is headed.
