The problem is that some players say it takes too long to become interesting.
On the official Diablo 4 forums, players are debating whether Echoing Hatred is actually worth the time. The complaints are fairly direct: slow ramp-up, rewards that can feel like mostly materials after the first clears, and an activity that some players are mainly doing for season journey completion or the hidden cosmetic reward.
Good Idea, Slow Burn
The basic concept is strong. Echoing Hatred throws enemies at the player until they are overwhelmed, fail to keep up, or push as far as their build can take them. That kind of escalating pressure should be perfect for Diablo 4.
ARPG players love measuring power. They love seeing whether a build can survive one more tier, one more wave, one more bad decision made at 2 a.m. while muttering, “this is fine.”
But if the early part of the run feels too easy, too slow, or too stretched out, the activity loses momentum before it reaches the point where the danger actually starts. One player compares it to Diablo III’s Echoing Nightmare, but longer. Another says the wait to reach meaningful difficulty makes them want to pull their hair out.
That is not ideal endgame pacing. That is a queue with demons.
Rewards Need to Justify the Wait
The other issue is payout. Some players say the first clear may feel more meaningful, but later runs can start to look like extra bags of materials rather than an exciting reward chase.
Materials matter. Diablo players always need more of something. Gold, mats, keys, sigils, dust, fragments, pride, sleep. The list never ends.
But materials alone rarely make an activity feel special. If Echoing Hatred is meant to be one of Lord of Hatred’s big repeatable challenges, the reward loop needs to feel sharper than “survive a long ramp and receive another bag of useful but emotionally beige stuff.”
The Hidden Cosmetic Is Doing Heavy Lifting
The funniest part is that some players seem more interested in the hidden cosmetic than the core activity itself. That makes sense. Diablo players love secret rewards, especially when they involve strange shrine sequences, goblins, portals, or anything that sounds like it was discovered by someone who stopped sleeping three seasons ago.
But if the hidden reward is the main reason people tolerate the activity, that says something.
Echoing Hatred should be exciting because the run itself feels intense, rewarding, and worth repeating. The cosmetic should be the cherry on top, not the only reason to eat the cursed cake.
Faster Ramp, Better Payoff
This feels fixable. Echoing Hatred does not need to be scrapped or dramatically reinvented. It may simply need better pacing.
If strong builds are deleting early waves, the activity could ramp faster based on kill speed. If players are waiting too long before enemies become threatening, skip the warm-up. If repeat rewards feel flat, add more reasons to push deeper beyond materials and bragging rights.
Diablo 4’s best activities understand one thing clearly: players want pressure quickly, loot reliably, and enough chaos to feel like their build is being tested rather than politely warmed up.
Echoing Hatred has the bones of a good mode.
Now it needs to stop taking so long to bite.
