Blizzard is aiming to have Diablo 2 Resurrected be as close to the original, mechanically speaking, as possible, while overhauling the graphics and adding in a few niceties that modders have added to the game over the years.
Does this mean the game will have LAN play?
Is it really even necessary to have LAN play these days?
Diablo 2 Resurrected Multiplayer
Diablo 2 Resurrected will feature an 8-player online co-op, allowing players to connect via updated Battle.net support.
Unfortunately, the game will not have an option to play over a LAN or Local Area Network.
That is unless you purchase the Switch version of Diablo 2 Resurrected.
Nintendo's console can connect to other Switches locally for online play without the need for an Internet connection, and Diablo 2 Resurrected will take full advantage of this feature.
It is about as close to a LAN party as Diablo players will get with this modern rendition of the classic Diablo game.
Players on the PC and other consoles will have to rely on Battle.net servers for cooperative play.
Blizzard did toy with couch co-op, allowing multiple players to play cooperatively on one screen, but it ruined the classic Diablo feel, which requires the player to always be in the center of the screen.
READ MORE: Diablo 3 Season 24: What Are Ethereals, Diablo's New Weapon Class?
Is LAN Play Necessary These Days?
Some may question why fans would even want LAN support with such robust connection options available today.
LAN parties were great back in the day because they allowed gamers to play their favorite game together without having to worry about modem connections, tying up a phone line, or dealing with time-limited internet.
There is an argument to be made for LAN support, though.
With LAN support, it does not matter if a game's servers go down.
Players can still play together if they get together locally.
By requiring a connection to Battle.net, it means that if something were to happen to the multiplayer servers, or if Blizzard ever stopped supporting Diablo 2 Resurrected, players would still be able to gather and play together.
Is LAN support something Blizzard may add in the future?
It isn't very likely, but maybe some intrepid gamer will figure out how to do so.
READ MORE: Diablo 3 Season 24: What Are the Season 24 Rewards?
Diablo 2 Resurrected Cross-Play and Cross-Progression
Diablo 2 Resurrected will feature Cross-Progression, meaning players can play on one system, then move to another without losing their progress.
Unfortunately, the game will not feature Cross-Play, so gamers on the PC, PS4/5, Xbox, and Switch cannot play together online.
Many Blizzard games do not offer Cross-Play, but certain titles like Overwatch are testing the feature not.
It could be that Blizzard will add Cross-Play to Diablo 2 Resurrected in the future.
Until then, Diablo fans will need to make sure they coordinate which systems they purchase the game for if they want to play together in co-op mode.
READ MORE: Diablo 3 Season 24: What Will Haedrigs Gift Be?
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
Diablo 3