Blizzard has told Diablo 4 players to stop using game-modifying software or risk their account suffering a permanent ban.
In a message posted to the Blizzard forums, Diablo community chief Adam Fletcher made clear the developer’s position on unauthorised modifications, many of which it said are used to cheat. Fletcher even called out one piece of software, called TurboHUD4, which has proved a popular option among the community, especially hardcore players pushing against the outer edges of Diablo 4’s endgame.
Here’s Blizzard’s statement in full:
“We are committed to keeping the world of Sanctuary a safe and fair place for all players, and our Game Security team constantly monitors for cheats and unauthorized modifications.
“All Diablo 4 players agree to the Blizzard EULA as a condition of playing the game. The Blizzard EULA explicitly prohibits cheating, bots, hacks, and any other unauthorized software which automates, modifies, or otherwise interferes with the game. This is important to players’ security as well as the game’s long-term integrity.
“With that in mind, we want to make it clear that TurboHUD4, like any game-modifying software, is prohibited for use with Diablo 4. Players who install this kind of software will put their accounts at risk for disciplinary action, which can include permanent suspension.
“Thank you to our players for helping to keep Sanctuary fair for all.”
According to its website, TurboHUD4 adds a customisable overlay to Diablo 4. This lets you make changes to the world map, add aspect names to the character sheet, and configure plugins. You can also use it to reveal dungeon maps, add a missed items counter to the screen, and add a resource counter.
While many of these features are considered useful quality of life changes Diablo 4 could do with in an official capacity, Blizzard’s concern is software such as TurboHUD4 can also be used for cheating in its always-online game.
It’s an interesting statement in the context of Blizzard’s philosophy for its other games. World of Warcraft, for example, has for many years let players use add-ons that modify the experience. And TurboHUD4 itself has been around for years, used by some Diablo 3 players to boost their play.
In other Diablo 4 news, Blizzard is set to host another Campfire Chat on July 28 at 11am PDT. This much-anticipated livestream will dig into changes coming with the upcoming patch, 1.1.1, expected to launch in the next two weeks. Blizzard staff will discuss balance changes, various quality of life updates, and hold a Q&A segment at the end.
Yesterday, Blizzard released Diablo 4 patch 1.1.0c, which addressed the menu screen user interface issue that was causing some players to inadvertantly activate the premium battle pass. This activation now has a confirmation pop-up, and the default focus (the button the controller will first highlight) on the battle pass screen is now the Season Journey button.
Despite various issues, Diablo 4 enjoyed an enormous launch that saw over 10 million people play in June. Diablo 4 is Blizzard’s fastest-selling game of all time, and has fuelled record revenue and profits for the company. If you’re still playing, check out our interactive Diablo 4 map to start tracking your progress as you play.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
