Don't try to mod Diablo 4 or you could be permanently banned, Blizzard warn

I enjoy cracking video games open like an egg so I can fry, scramble, poach or, uh, omelette their insides. Modding and tapping in console commands are a core part of why I like PC games.

Alas, Diablo 4 is not to be tinkered with. In a post on the game's forums, Blizzard's global community development director Adam Fletcher says that "any game-modifying software" is prohibited and may lead to accounts being permanently banned.

"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," says the post.

They specifically call out TurboHUD4, a customisable UI mod, as an example of a mod that is prohibited. "Players who install this kind of software will put their accounts at risk for disciplinary action, which can include permanent suspension," Blizzard say.

Diablo 4 can be played solo, but it has no dedicated singleplayer mode, meaning players using mods or cheats could potentially have a negative impact on other players. Cheats in multiplayer games are obviously bad. Still, I'm forever sad that so many PC games don't give you the option of taking them offline so you can tinker as much as you like.

It's also another example of Blizzard acting as the fun police, after they nerfed a bunch of character builds the community had found because they were too exciting and powerful. Blizzard say they won't do that again, and they'll be offering more details of the next patch, 1.1.1, tomorrow.