Diablo 4's Greater Affixes added shortly before update

Blizzard's updates to itemization in Diablo 4 have faced criticism since the game's launch. However, the "Loot Reborn" update last year made significant improvements. This update simplified loot drops and introduced Greater Affixes. These are stronger versions of regular affixes, complete with their own sound effects and special icons to help players recognize their value. The Greater Affixes were nearly not included in the update. According to Patrick Ferland, a lead software engineer at Blizzard, the idea came very late in development. The team only had two weeks to implement them before the update was scheduled to launch. Ferland explained that, thanks to their previous work on restructuring game data, they could confidently add this major feature without causing issues in the game's system. Despite these advancements, itemization still poses challenges in Diablo 4. Blizzard continues to work on improving the game, including plans to revamp the battle pass system and adjust difficulty levels. Although there are currently no annual expansions planned, a second expansion is in development and is expected to be released in 2026.