I have played D2 since it's inception. (Not a console player, so that's why I didn't play D1). I played the game a lot. I have over 9000 hours invested in the game. I started playing it because it was FUN, and it was ENJOYABLE. Yes, it was challenging and frustrating at times, but the core aspects of the game were that it was FUN and ENJOYABLE. That is no longer the case. You never ever mention those words in the TWAB (TWID, X, whatever). You have, sadly gone to the complete opposite extreme. You have made it punishing, a grind, and unenjoyable. I get it that there needs to be challenges and there needs to be a path to earning levels, but we should be excited about playing the game and earning rewards. That's so far from what exists right now, it can't have been by accident. Think about it. Right now, to go from 300-400 (I presume that 400-500 is exactly the same) it is beyond painful There are 8 items that each need to be leveled up. Basically, at 1 level per run, that's 800 (EIGHT HUNDRED) runs to increase ONE character from 300 to 400 or 400-500. Even if you were to say "oh no, we give you 2 levels", that's still 400 runs, and that's assuming that you get a different l item each run, which, NEVER happens, so you are probably up to like 1000 (ONE THOUSAND) runs to make the 100 level increase. How in the world do any of the Bungie Devs, Management, or Community Devs think that normal people a) enjoy that, or b) have time to make the increase? Hint:, they don't, and that's a good reason they are stopping playing. And even then, the "money" cost of unstable cores is beyond ridiculous. I would love to have multiple classes to play with (Prismatic, Solar, Arc, etc, ), but I literally can't afford the cost. And once you get that 100 levels, the chances of getting the armor, or weapon you want is vanishingly small, and probably takes several more HUNDREDS, if not THOUSANDs of runs to try and get something you want, especially because you killed crafting. This is the first time since d2 started, that I don 't even have one of my 3 characters anywhere near max power. It's literally impossible for a normal person to accomplish. I would love to get my other two characters leveled up and try new things, but even thought I just turned 70 and retired, I don't have the time or the energy to subject myself to the torture and time you decided was no big deal. You have stacked the deck against your players. I used to think EA was the most anti-player company out there, but your actions have put them to shame. I am not angry about bugs, or things that don't work right when launched, because that's normal, but you are, for some reason, known only to you, making the game incredibly unpleasant to play. IT"S A CHORE, it is NOT FUN, it is NOT REWARDING, it is NOT ENJOYABLE. It used to be, and I mourn this loss of vision and commitment to players and having them enjoy the game and have fun. @dmg_04 gets beat up a lot, and I hate that, but TBH, he's trying to defend the undefendable. Half the people I used to play with have quit because of the fact that it's NOT FUN or ENJOYABLE. I used to play every day, but I can't force myself many days. "Oh Boy, I get to run 10-15 mind numbing Calderas to maybe add 1 or 2 levels in a day:. Do you guys play the game any more? It used to be clear that you did because you understood the concept of making it fun and enjoyable and achievable, while still being challenging. I really love D2 and want to keep playing, but you are getting close to driving me out as well. There's just no fun, enjoyment, or sense of being able to achieve meaningful in any reasonable time. Even now, I think the game is salvageable and certainly worth saving. The story this season was one of the best ever. But if you can't make it fun and enjoyable and not such a painful and punishing grind, it's going to die. I read the TWID, and in many ways you are still just putting lipstick on the painful pig grind. As you get higher in level, you are reducing the rewards and making the required time investment even more punishing. You have 4 bad things that you MUST fix. 1. Stop requiring hundreds of runs to level up 2. Stop making it ridiculously hard to level up items (Unstable core economy is like Russian Rubles. Completely unrealistic 3. Make it easier to actually get the rolls and the items players want. (Saying we can focus things is complete lie. I rarely, very rarely, get armor with the stat bases that I want. And exotic engrams NEVER have them 4. Stop making it "just a chance" to get to get high tier gear when a player manages to make high level. Why do you insist on punishing success? I had 40 clears before I got navigator, and well over 2 for the sundered doctrine exotic. Why? if you hit 10 or 15, it should be automatic, and tier 5 gear (engrams), should be at least 50 50, not 1% increasing ever run I would love to play this game for the rest of my life, but unless you remember that the game is supposed to be fun, enjoyable and rewarding, that's not going to happen. it will die long before I do. You can fix it, but the question is, do you really want to, or are you just done with it as well as the players? Jim Gerretson