Diablo 3 patch 2.0.1 out now with Loot 2.0

Blizzard is preparing for Reaper of Souls by deploying Diablo 3's new 2.0.1 patch later today, which will usher in Loot 2.0 after Blizzard ushered out the Diablo 3 Auction House.

Ozzie Mejia

February 25, 2014 2:00 PM

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As Blizzard prepares to usher in the new Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls, it must first flush away the old. Diablo 3 has deployed its 2.0.1 patch, formally introducing its Loot 2.0 system, paving the way for the upcoming closure of the Diablo 3 Auction House.

Loot 2.0 heavily revises Diablo 3's drop system, adding in a new 'Smart Drop' system that attunes drops to the classes that find them, item binding for most crafted items, and an across-the-board buff for Legendary items that help make them feel more special.

"Legendaries were always supposed to be the best items in the game," lead designer Kevin Marens explained to Gamespot. "Mathematically, we did not make that the case. You could get a yellow item that was more powerful even though the legendary had a cool power, and that became a difficult choice that wasn't as fun as we wanted it to be. The best items in the game have gotten a lot better."

Legendary and Set items will also be bound to accounts, though multiplayer games will allow players a two-hour window to trade those items with others in their party.

Patch 2.0.1 also features a dynamic difficulty system (replacing Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno modes), new 'Cursed Chests' events, removal of the Paragon level cap, and the addition of Clans and Communities. The full patch notes can be found on Battle.net.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?