d3 Season 17 Pushed Back to May + All Season Durations

[Starym 3,800]

 

It seems Season of Grandeur has been very popular and Blizzard is extending it to May 12th! This shouldn't come as a surprise as this season has been the most game changing one so far, with the biggest impact on gameplay through greater build diversity. The other reason Season 17 has been postponed is because Blizzard have "plans" for it and it'll take a while longer to test, both internally and on the PTR later on:

Season 16 has proved to be our most popular Themed Season yet!

We have plans for Season 17, but they are going to need some time for us to test both internally and via PTR closer to launch. Therefore, we are moving the Season 16 end date to May 12. https://t.co/EDqtTZHryM

— Diablo (@Diablo) February 22, 2019

This will make Season 16 the 4th longest Diablo 3 season ever with its 114 days, only trailing behind Season 1 (obviously), clocking in at 159 days and the strangely long Seasons 3 and 4, which lasted 136 and 125 days, respectively. Let's take a look at all the seasons and how long each lasted, courtesy of D3resource:

Season	Duration (Days)	Start Date	End Date	Patch
Season 1	159	29.08.2014	03.02.2015	2.1.0 2.1.1 2.1.2
Season 2	52	13.02.2015	05.04.2015	2.1.2
Season 3	136	10.04.2015	23.08.2015	2.2.0
Season 4	125	28.08.2015	30.12.2015	2.3.0
Season 5	92	15.01.2016	15.04.2016	2.4.0
Season 6	85	29.04.2016	22.07.2016	2.4.1
Season 7	70	05.08.2016	13.10.2016	2.4.2
Season 8	71	21.10.2016	30.12.2016	2.4.2
Season 9	71	06.01.2017	17.03.2017	2.4.3
Season 10	85	31.03.2017	23.06.2017	2.5.0
Season 11	92	20.07.2017	20.10.2017	2.6.0
Season 12	94	09.11.2017	11.02.2018	2.6.1
Season 13	100	23.02.2018	03.06.2018	2.6.1
Season 14	93	15.06.2018	16.11.2018	2.6.1
Season 15	107	21.09.2018	06.01.2019	2.6.1
Season 16	114	19.01.2019	12.05.2019*	2.6.4
Season 17	?	19.05.2019*	?	?

So, we had a full 4 seasons on patch 2.6.1 and before that only seasons 7 and 8 shared a patch (as well as the first two, but as Season 1 had 3 patch cycles on its own, we'll just ignore that). In terms of length we have obviously Season 1 in the lead, followed by Season 3, then Season 4 and now we'll have Season 16, closely followed by Season 15.

Are you enjoying the Season of Grandeur? Would you want it to stick around even more with it's pretty unique modifier or are you looking forward to what comes next in Season 17? In any case, you can check out our Season 16 guides, as it seems we might be needing them for a while longer!

[Kaelos 74]

Yes sure they need more time to test doubled mechanics or passive item power. Wonder why GGG doesn't have to delay anything to release full content packed league with new maps, mechanics, skills, bosses everything.

Edited February 22, 2019 by Kaelos

[Starym 3,800]

25 minutes ago, Kaelos said:

Yes sure they need more time to test doubled mechanics or passive item power. Wonder why GGG doesn't have to delay anything to release full content packed league with new maps, mechanics, skills, bosses everything.

Because they are all developing PoE and not working on PoE 2? I mean Blizz aren't exactly hiding the fact that there are like 4 devs still working on D3, everyone is on D4 obviously.

[Lucavian 9]

1 hour ago, Starym said:

Because they are all developing PoE and not working on PoE 2? I mean Blizz aren't exactly hiding the fact that there are like 4 devs still working on D3, everyone is on Diablo Immortal obviously.

Fixed it for you.

[Calin 50]

 

1 hour ago, Starym said:

Because they are all developing PoE and not working on PoE 2? I mean Blizz aren't exactly hiding the fact that there are like 4 devs still working on D3, everyone is on D4 obviously.

 

Well D3 has been dead for years now, so D4 better be good if that's going to be a valid excuse...

[Hypersonic 119]

Ridiculous.

[Kuarinofu 78]

2 hours ago, Starym said:

Because they are all developing PoE and not working on PoE 2? I mean Blizz aren't exactly hiding the fact that there are like 4 devs still working on D3, everyone is on D4 obviously.

Why would you assume that. They are cutting all possible costs and most if not all of their games are in mainenance mode, the only game that gets some content is probably WoW. Investing into making Diablo 4 is not a good decision right now obviously. Immortal will generate more profit across more platforms and will require less resources and people hours put into.

[Resnar 37]

54 minutes ago, Kuarinofu said:

Why would you assume that. They are cutting all possible costs and most if not all of their games are in mainenance mode, the only game that gets some content is probably WoW. Investing into making Diablo 4 is not a good decision right now obviously. Immortal will generate more profit across more platforms and will require less resources and people hours put into.

 A game release is always a great source of income, look how much people played Wod at it's release... games like diablo 3 or SC2 doesn't bring money in the long run, they don't have lootbox (oh wait SC2 have some now right ?) they need new content to bring back people, a diablo 4 will ofc drag a lot of people. I think Blizzard is already working on D4, Warcraft IV (already announce), SC3? And maybe a new franchise like OW back in the days 

[Rhondis 148]

8 minutes ago, Resnar said:

Warcraft IV (already announce)

Source please?

[RAvenhide 0]

6 hours ago, Kaelos said:

Yes sure they need more time to test doubled mechanics or passive item power. Wonder why GGG doesn't have to delay anything to release full content packed league with new maps, mechanics, skills, bosses everything.

I feel like I should also mention that GGG releases their "full content" with a mind-boggling number of bugs, many of which are game breaking. There is a reason you should never start a new PoE League until it is at least halfway through its duration. You're not gonna have much fun otherwise.

[Starym 3,800]

5 hours ago, Kuarinofu said:

Why would you assume that. They are cutting all possible costs and most if not all of their games are in mainenance mode, the only game that gets some content is probably WoW. Investing into making Diablo 4 is not a good decision right now obviously. Immortal will generate more profit across more platforms and will require less resources and people hours put into.

I'm not assuming. We know they've been working on Diablo 4 for years now. There have been numerous reports (even about a whole version of the game scrapped, which was similar to Dark Souls - around the time they started looking for a new lead designer so I'm personally inclined to believe it). Now just how many people are working on it exactly (aka is it 50 or 150 or whatever) we can't know, but they definitely have a full dev team on it. Investing into D4 is EXACTLY the strategy Activision are pushing, as D3 sold like 20 million units total (but made little money after that, so they'll prolly be adding microtransactions into D4), they just know it won't be ready next year hence the job reductions.

Also about the cost cutting, did you actually read the firings post? Almost no developers were fired AT ALL and they'll only be adding more. The people fired were community managers, QA tech support etc and it was across all of Activision, not just Blizzard. Facts are fun!

[Rhondis 148]

5 hours ago, Kuarinofu said:

Why would you assume that. They are cutting all possible costs and most if not all of their games are in mainenance mode, the only game that gets some content is probably WoW. Investing into making Diablo 4 is not a good decision right now obviously. Immortal will generate more profit across more platforms and will require less resources and people hours put into.

If its going to require less resources and people, then why is it not a good idea to produce Diablo 4? If anything it seems like a win win scenario. Blizzard makes a profit from their mobile adaptation with barely any manpower behind it, while they use the entire team to create a whole new title that bring even more profit. The demand for Diablo 4 is really high, especially around this time as people eagerly await for any small information regarding the new title. So if anything, it is a smart decision for Blizzard to create Diablo 4.

Edited February 23, 2019 by Rhondis

[Kaelos 74]

11 hours ago, Starym said:

Because they are all developing PoE and not working on PoE 2? I mean Blizz aren't exactly hiding the fact that there are like 4 devs still working on D3, everyone is on D4 obviously.

I just don't have any hopes anymore. We were promised big things on Blizzcon and all we get are number tweaks and so tiny feature like passive RoRG each single season and I expect nothing more on season 17. Also all these news about Diablo 4 are not official.

Edited February 23, 2019 by Kaelos

[Starym 3,800]

1 hour ago, Kaelos said:

I just don't have any hopes anymore. We were promised big things on Blizzcon and all we get are number tweaks and so tiny feature like passive RoRG each single season and I expect nothing more on season 17. Also all these news about Diablo 4 are not official.

Well of course they're not official, we know how Blizzard work, they only announce when a game is like 90% done. But yea I wouldn't expect too much from S17 either, D3 development is pretty much done. And yea, you should be 100% sure they're making Diablo 4 because they definitely are. If anything Activision is pushing for that even more than Blizzard would be on their own.

[Yojiro 30]

1 hour ago, Starym said:

 you should be 100% sure they're making Diablo 4 because they definitely are.

There's a lot of job listings for "An unannounced Diablo project" (not sure how I ended up on that page, I think the launcher linked to it a few weeks ago)

If I recall correctly there were some pretty important positions in there like Project Lead etc so it might be a completely different project.

[lolblizzard 38]

this season has been the most game changing one so far, with the biggest impact on gameplay through greater build diversity.

 

all this season gave was another ring slot.. which was taken by element ring .. so wow big impact.. how poor were the other seasons if that was such an impactful one? oO build diversity was not even touched by this.

[darkinchworm 20]

14 hours ago, Rhondis said:

Source please?

There is no source, and dude sits on a throne of lies.

[Misuteri 26]

Probably mistook WC3 redo as WC4.

[Rhondis 148]

39 minutes ago, darkinchworm said:

There is no source, and dude sits on a throne of lies.

Yea, I know. Was hoping he throw out some Kotaku source claiming it's a real deal.

[Guest]

I am not sure that Blizzard is indeed working on a big project.

Definitly not WC4 and not SC3.

Diablo 4? A year ago I would have said: Yeah, they will be doing this and it will come in maybe 2 or 3 years.

But now? I am quite sure they have absolutly nothing on D4.

Maybe they had started with the project, but canceled everything. Or they have no idea what they want to do and are still only playing with possibilities. Or they do not intend to make a D4 at all and just make Immortal. More income, less cost -> way more cost efficient then a D4.

Why do I think that? Because of Blizzcon.

The shitstorm was HUGE. One of the biggest in gaming history and definitly the biggest Blizzard had ever had.

If they had the smallest thing on D4, I am absolutly certain that they would have announced it directly after Blizzcon.

"Guys, I know we have *filtered* up on Blizzcon. Sorry. Here is our D4 Trailer and some work-arts"

Or stuff like that.

That they just watch the shitstorm, watch the stocks drop drastically without doing ANYTHING - that can only have two answers:

1) They HAVE something about D4, but they are totally retarded and decided to keep this a secret.

2) They have absoltly nothing about D4, with D4 being a project that MAY come in something like 5 years. Or 10. Or never. Like Half Life 3.

 

Like I said, I seriously doubt there is something like D4 in the next 5 years, because I guess they haven't even started. And I am not sure they plan to start the development of D4 at all.

[Melcahia 36]

So many sad comments, and negative people. 

[omninoya 2]

PLZ Blizzard, let us use Radalmani's gift to add socket our jewells.

Edited February 24, 2019 by omninoya

[rickster 12]

Season 18 will be named: Season of the PickUp Artist

Where ALL Gold, Jewel's, Mat's, DB's, FS's, Rift/Greater Rift globes, ..., are picked up, while killing, and credited automatically, whether you have a (cosmetic-psychological-handholding) "pet", or not.   ... and we also need more Stash Tabs,  as opposed to these useless Armoury tabs.?

Edited February 24, 2019 by rickster

[Knutsanity 15]

7 hours ago, omninoya said:

PLZ Blizzard, let us use Radalmani's gift to add socket our jewells.

Excellent, or anything that has gem slots. Use 1 for each on a chest that rolled without gem slots, up to 3, up to 2 for pants, 1 helmet, 1 amulet, 1 ring. An option to add a 3rd to chests that only rolled with 1 or 2, or pants that rolled with only 1 as well would make sense, as much as it's a waste in the sense of having better potential gear. But if it's the best option at the time and you have enough gifts to waste, why not. 
I was disappointed to find out it was only for weapons after i first tried it. It would make sense and be a bigger impact when optimised, to your progression abilities, than the extra ring ability in the season of G. But I'd ask for that out of season as well this time, and for good. It doesn't change the game like the season of G, but that's a good thing, only adds some extra room for other stats to progress further. Boring to some I'm sure, but to me the way it always should have been. 
Maybe add a second amulet slot for the season and call it the season of bling. ?

 

12 hours ago, Melcahia said:

So many sad comments, and negative people. 

They care I guess. Like a sports team, it comes with a passionate fan base, some will be angry way too easily as soon as they possibly can excuse it. Suppose it comes across as whiny idiots who have a deranged complex where they always want to be listened too and appreciated and catered to, by a game company they apparently must love if it makes them that engaged. But they are just people, we all have our issues we whine about, and good. Not sure why they are shocked or angry that nothing mind blowing is coming for seasons. Why they have to say it, or why they have to be so glum about the prospect of a d4. But Blizzard wins either way. They'll buy d4 and complain about that too. Suppose it's gross when companies excuse missing dead lines and try to sell it as a good thing, but really we'll live. 
I'm glad they want d4 enough to be so enraged about blizzcon and every update not being what they want.  It means we'll get it, it means we have help paying blizzard enough to make it worth it to make, and it even provides a healthy balance for how blizzard views its own motivation, accountability and its fan base. The know there is money to be made from both kinds of fans. They want to impress for both kinds of fans for different reasons. 
I think deep down they know Blizzard isn't pure in intentions, that it's operating in a capitalist world, that either way they do a good job making this genre better every decade. Or they wouldn't be here to *filtered* about everything. 

Edited February 25, 2019 by Knutsanity