What Draws Me to Play Every Season in Diablo 3?

I've been a fan of the Diablo franchise since 1997, less than a year since it was first released. In fact, it was one of the primary reasons why I built my first PC.

My AMD K6-2 66mhz machine was awesome, back in the day. Yes...that's megahertz. And back then, she was a slick computer.

At any rate, each installment of the Diablo franchise drew me in even deeper. That's because I'm one of those gamers who really appreciates a gripping tale.

But when Diablo 3 announced seasonal play and how it would work, I knew it was one of those things I had to be a part of.

It goes much deeper than just being a fan of the series, though.

My Need to Constantly Start Over

One of the biggest reasons why I haven't finished a lot of games I own is because I often need to start over. I enjoy starting from scratch and trying new things to build a better character.

To put this into perspective, I have nearly 500 hours in Fallout 4 and have never been past the halfway mark of the game.

The seasonal play in Diablo 3 lets me begin anew with empty inventories and new characters without losing any progress I made for past characters I may want to keep.

Each season is like a fresh start that fuels my need to revamp and retry something new.

I Love the Grind

Yes, I'm one of those weirdos who loves the grind. Even in games where you can buy upgrades or advancements, I'm the guy who would rather spend four weeks grinding out enemies to get what I need.

It's all about having patience, which is probably amplified by the fact that I have teenagers and boys over the age of 21. Patience is a virtue.

I suppose I just find it more rewarding to grind out gear or items over just purchasing them in some online store. And in Diablo 3, the grind is where it's at.

Even when the game had a player-operated store for buying loot, I never once thought about browsing the wares. Though, that aspect of Diablo 3 was pretty short-lived.

Collecting the Different Rewards

Each season comes with rewards...nowadays. Since I am a collector, getting new wings, pets, banner images, or portrait frames keeps me engaged.

This goes beyond getting all of the achievements in the game itself, which I'm still working on. In fact, I'll hit achievements by accident that I didn't even know are available.

Right now, I am pushing hard to get the rat-like pet at the end of the season journey in Diablo 3 this time around.

Anyway, I love collecting in-game goodies, especially when it's centric to how I play rather than what I can buy. I'd rather earn the gear, not buy it off of someone.

Then again, I've always been that way. I remember turning down all kinds of gear in EverQuest because I felt like it was cheating in some way.

I need to earn it.

Striving for the Leaderboards

Although I've never been in any of the Leaderboards for Diablo 3, it's still something I enjoy seeking. Unfortunately, I just don't have the time to dump into any one video game.

I have a job, several blogs, YouTube channels, and other side projects that prevent me from playing Diablo 3 non-stop all day long.

I have a mortgage to pay, after all.

Still, one of these days, I'll make it into the top 100 for my class. Probably after Diablo 4 comes out and fewer people play the seasons in Diablo 3.

A win by attrition is still a win.

Something the Kids and I Can Do Together

The kids and I play quite a few games together. And although playing Minecraft is still at the top of the list, my teenagers are starting to get into more games.

We'll spend the night working on trying to get someone their armor sets and progress through the season as a team.

Yes, all of the kids have their own favorites. But it's nice to know that I still have something in common with my children. And as they start to get older, they'll start doing their own stuff.

So, I'll get any moments with them I can right now. Because soon, they'll be off to college living their own lives. Diablo 3 seasonal play just gives us one more thing to be excited about until then.

If You Enjoy It, Who's to Say You're Doing it Wrong?

Not everyone likes the same kind of games. As long as you're enjoying yourself, that's all that really matters. Whether you're into FPS or MMORPGs, it's all about whether you're having fun.

For me, I'll continue to grind out every season of Diablo 3 until the servers shut down. Because it fulfills a lot of what I enjoy out of a video game.