Having watched it try to speed run all the troubles of a live service game, I didn't expect Diablo 4 to come back this hard and fast

Key art for Diablo 4's Season of Blood, featuring vampiric versions of Diablo 4's classes.

I'm no stranger to the highs and lows of live service gaming. As a nine-year Destiny veteran, I've seen how pretty much every conceivable crisis plays out. Servers going down for days at a time. Disastrous balance changes that leave the community in chaos. Tone deaf developer statements that get walked back days later. What has been weird though, is watching Diablo 4 speed run so many of the classic problems in its first couple of months.

Personal Pick

(Image credit: Future)

In addition to our main Game of the Year Awards 2023, each member of the PC Gamer team is shining a spotlight on a game they loved this year. We'll post new personal picks, alongside our main awards, throughout the rest of the month.