The resurgence in D2 popularity was due to plugy, PoD, and other D2 mods. D2 also started to get a pretty dedicated speed running community on top of holy grails.

The resurgence of D2 popularity was not due to 50-100 people botting and pvping each other continuously for 15 years.

None of the changes before D2R or after have been PVP focused. PVP was never mentioned at any point in the D2R release. They never mentioned the PVP community as "holding strong" as being a reason for D2R being created. Mod communities and ladder reset communities were mentioned specifically as extending the staying power of the game, no pvp mention.

Hardcore PvM > Softcore anything

PvP isn’t even mentioned on the back of the original diablo 2 box, pvp is a mini game and nothing more. Anyone who enjoys pvp now is because they were addicted to PvM at some point. 90% of these duelers are horrible anyway, any real d2 pvp’r is LONG GONE

This post was edited by BasedGoff on Jan 23 2022 09:47am

Directly taken from the patch notes:

Spoken like a true pvm scrub

Btw didn’t read that

you don't know pvp you don't know d2. sorry noob

You seem like the type that listens to what warriv has to say in his chat bubble... I bet you know the lore of Diablo by heart. I bet you read books by Brandon Sanderson.... Nerd

Slain

Edit PvM in hardcore normal mode blood Moore against fallen has more stakes than anything you can accomplish in softcore

This post was edited by redExorcist on Jan 23 2022 09:55am

PvMers talking shit to PvPers is insanely cringe..... PvP is and has been the only challenge in D2 for 20 years.