As the Diablo 2 Resurrected open beta kicks off soon, there’s bad news for fans of the original: The beloved TCP/IP local multiplayer mode will not be supported. A blog post on the official Blizzard website confirms the fan-favorite feature won’t be making a return. That means you won’t be able to battle your way through hordes of enemies with friends over local multiplayer. Worse still, this applies to both the upcoming beta and the full game — and it’s sad news for fans.
The news came as part of an FAQ post, detailing the key questions about the upcoming remaster. When asked about TCP/IP support, Blizzard said it “will no longer be supporting this option as we identified potential security risks.”
So why is that important? Well, rather than simple split-screen multiplayer, TCP/IP is more based around private networks. It allows you to join up with over devices in a closed environment. This allows you to play without interference from others, which is particularly nice for LAN tournaments. It was also the Diablo series’ most common alternative to public matchmaking, which is often more prone to vast gaps in skill.
It’s equally disappointing for those who played the game upon its original release in 2000. The nostalgia of getting to run through the game again with friends with updated graphics is therefore gone.
Why is there no TCP/IP Multiplayer in Diablo 2 Resurrected?
It seems like Blizzard has chosen to remove TCP/IP multiplayer to preserve game security and to stop cheating. In the original Diablo 2, players could use their own local saves online, which could result in hacked games with cheats enabled. The removal therefore removes this chance – and the potential for hackers to access closed lobbies and wreak havoc.
Nonetheless, it’s an undeniably sad development for long-term Diablo fans. Blizzard made it very clear that we won’t ever see TCP/IP local multiplayer in future Resurrected updates, so you might want to redownload the original if you still want that dose of nostalgia.
