Rod Fergusson, producer of Diablo 4, has sparked heated debate over the genre classification of the game. According to Fergusson, the term ARPG has become too broad and no longer accurately describes games like Diablo. He proposed that fans refer to such titles as «Diablo-likes,» much like «Souls-like» or «Rogue-like» are used for other subgenres.
Feels like the genre of «ARPG» is starting to mean a lot of different things. Much like «Souls-like» and «Rogue-like», I wonder if we could normalize «Diablo-like» for ARPGs that follow the Diablo formula...
The post received heavy criticism, as it came just days before the early access launch of Path of Exile 2. Many players interpreted Fergusson's comment as a slight against the developers of Path of Exile and responded with ridicule:
«How do you normalize “Diablo-like” if no one likes Diablo 4?» — @Jungroan.
«Imagine the game director of a major AAA company posting that he's jealous another game did a better release.» — @RealHawgTv.
«I wish d4 was a diablo like.» — @Mechanix_8515.
«I'd rather a “poe-like” since it's a far superior game. Sub-genre names are taken from the top game of the sub-genre.» — @subw00fer37.
The tweet also ignited discussions on Reddit. While some users agreed Fergusson's idea was technically valid, they criticized the timing of his statement, especially given the upcoming release of Path of Exile 2. Players also recalled how Grinding Gear Games, the studio behind Path of Exile, had shown support for Blizzard before the announcement of Diablo 4.
Early access for Path of Exile 2 begins on December 6. Check out the trailer below.