Like the previous game in the series, Diablo 4 requires a constant internet connection, even if you just want to play on your own. Due to this, Blizzard is reminding players that any mods, even ones that are purely cosmetic, are banned from the game altogether, as the studio has a zero-tolerance policy on third-party software.
This comes as TurboHUD, a huge mod from Diablo 3, is also up and running in Diablo 4. Before players get ahead of themselves, Blizzard is making it clear that anyone caught using TurboHUD can be hit with a perma ban. The team also says that it "constantly monitors" Diablo 4 for cheats and mods, hoping to dissuade players from installing them in the first place.
"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," reads a warning in the Blizzard forums (as spotted by TechSpot).
The post goes on to explain that the terms and conditions all players agree to "explicitly prohibits cheating, bots, hacks, and any other unauthorized software which automates, modifies, or otherwise interferes with the game."
It then mentions TurboHUD by name. "TurboHUD4, like any game-modifying software, is prohibited for use with Diablo 4." Any player who installs it will be hit with some kind of punishment, which can "include permanent suspension."
This is a major blow to any big release, as a vibrant modding scene can keep a game going for years to come. By far the most famous example of this is Skyrim, which has been modded to hell and back in every form it's ever been released in. Even titles that had rough launches can chug along thanks to modders, with Cyberpunk 2077 getting a ton of fan-requested features long before devs could add them in official patches.
Given its always-online nature, however, Diablo 4's modding community is unlikely to be as mainstream. The average player will probably steer clear of any third-party software if a perma ban is on the line, although it's not clear if Blizzard has mastered the tech it needs to detect who's playing with mods and who isn't.
It remains to be seen if Blizzard decides to soften its stance on mods that clearly don't give the user a gameplay advantage. This has happened with other games, like when Amazon allowed New World players to use a minimap mod, since it admitted it wouldn't be able to create an official one anytime soon. That being said, it doesn't look like Blizzard is budging on its own stance anytime soon.