Remember the marketplaces mentioned earlier? Well, thanks to those as well as the full implementation of Battle.net, Diablo 3 will require constant internet connection during play. Like StarCraft 2, but newer!

Now down to the brass tacks of why. Rob Pardo detailed a list of reasons why, and let’s just say that it looks worth it.

• Game chat through RealID between different games
• The marketplace system
• A persistent list of friends online and off
• A permanent server storage for characters, removing the need to play online every 90 days and nullifying item cheats and hacks
• Public and PVP matchmaking
• Co-op drop-in/out at will
• A constant/persistent party system
• A stash for all items shared between all characters
• Achievements and statistics, updated dynamically with the game
• The Banner system, which creates a unique banner that can be customized as achievements and difficulties are completed. If you’re insane and play Hardcore, you get a bonus emblem, and you get bonus emblems for PVP victories.

This all makes the connection “issue” so worth the trouble.

Pardo was quick to dispel groans against mobile playing, saying,

“I want to play Diablo 3 on my laptop in a plane, but, well, there are other games to play for times like that.”

Oh, so you mean Diablo 2?

[Source]