One of the main reasons why players were excited ahead of Diablo 4's first season was the addition of new content, stories, and loot that would keep them engaged for months to come. Season of the Malignant in Diablo 4 was not exactly what most players expected, as what was thought to be many innovations to the gameplay loop turned out as a limited set of changes, to the point that some gamers decided to stick to the Eternal Realm. This doesn't mean that all of the things that came with the first season are bad or just not enough, but rather that it can be a learning experience for Blizzard after all the feedback, especially when the one thing players are most excited about is mainly one item.