Respawn Monday #6: Diablo IV, Dead by Daylight, and Sony's Disc-less Plans
The weekend, or rather, the entirety of last week, was focused on a title I can't say thanks to embargo, but I did spend a bit of time in a few things as Diablo IV's season 14 is now live and the Dead by Daylight addiction has slowed but not entirely dissipated. Some thoughts.
Diablo IV is really in a good state
Diablo IV has room for improvement, but if you compare how it was when it launched, then soon after the season that followed, this action RPG is in a good state. Jumping into season 14 is exciting not because of the new seasonal content, but because of the new ways to build characters and me jumping into a class I have never experienced - the Paladin. Mythic unique items have been changed to be customizable (not fond of this change), and there's a new event that shows up mostly in the open world.
I can't say from experience yet how big a difference the added build potential is now that one of the rarest item types in the game can be altered, but the journey to get to that point remains just as entertaining as when I jumped back in for the Lord of Hatred expansion, which I highly recommend.
The seasonal content is interesting from a lore perspective as it is teasing a significant figure returning to Sanctuary . So far, I've only spent a day with the game, but it was enough to get my Paladin character to max level. As many would say: the real grind starts now.
Dead by Daylight sweats
Dead by Daylight is still a blast and I'm starting to prefer the Killer role over the Survivor, something that also happened when I was playing the game daily a couple of years back. To expand my roster, I picked up the Killer The Ghoul, from the hit anime Tokyo Ghoul.
He's an interesting Killer, and I had fun learning how his unique abilities work, but doing so made me realize how painful it is for Killer players to learn a new character, since I'm always matched with the most skilled Survivors in Asia.
It's an interesting experience, because with a Killer I'm not familiar with, I'm bullied constantly by Survivors who want to be chased. This put a lot of stress on me, since I wanted a more balanced experience, but what I got instead was the kind of tension I'd expect from an esports match. I went through it, I won some, I lost most, but man, was I mentally spent.
I also realized the mentality that grows in Dead by Daylight players. For newcomers, it's an online survival horror game, but once someone has spent over 5,000 hours on the game, either as Killer or Survivor, that description disappears and becomes a game that tests your ego.
You feel the need to get the 4 Kills as Killer or get the thrill of wasting a Killer's time by looping them as a Survivor. Succeed with a unique perk build built around stunning the Killer multiple times, or become a Killer who only benefits from not using their unique power. Players naturally progress toward setting personal goals to test their skill, which is also encouraged by how content creators make content for this game.
Cheating is also apparent in Asia, as I've experienced a couple of matches with unnatural speed boosts that look subtle at first. Many take this game too seriously, which is fine, but it feels more apparent on the Asia servers, as it's rare to play with someone new to the game, or at least be in the same level as someone returning.
After more than two weeks since I returned, it becomes clearer than ever that returning players get it rough. It's still a fantastic and thriving game, but players coming back have to learn quickly, as it's tough out there. Players you're paired with won't wait for you to get your bearings again.
Sony stepping away from physical games
The biggest surprise from last week was Sony's announcement that it will stop producing physical copies of games starting in 2028. The whole world is talking about it, as many are opposed while some accept the inevitability of digital-only. But I worry about what it means for those of us in the Philippines, since we still don’t have a dedicated PlayStation Store.
For Filipinos, there are two purchase options: buy physical PlayStation copies through local retailers, or buy online through the PlayStation Store by making an account in a different country. Once physical copies are gone, we'll likely be left with digital codes and purchases on the PlayStation Store, which can be more expensive since we'd be paying for a digital game in a different currency. Here, it's either you have a US account, a Hong Kong account, a Singapore or Thailand account, or whatever other Southeast Asian account works for you. Whatever you choose, you succumb to their regional pricing.
Physical games and the preservation of ownership over what you buy are important, and overall the biggest issue with Sony's announcement, but I find it just as troubling that countries like the Philippines could end up with fewer and less viable options in the future. Video games are already an expensive hobby, and making them harder to obtain is like adding salt to a wound that doesn't want to heal.
Sony has been quiet since the announcement. We'll see what they have planned, but it's not the best first half of 2026 so far, all things considered.
About the Author - Carlos Hernandez
Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.
Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred delivers the best version of the game yet, with a satisfying story conclusion, deep endgame systems, and two new classes that breathe fresh life into an already strong foundation.