The Oculus, a new Unique wand causing motion sickness in Diablo 4
The latest Diablo 4 patch brings plenty of tweaks, new Uniques, and balance changes for the action RPG game, but Sorcerers get a bad deal with The Oculus, the new Unique for the class that’s making some players feel physically ill. The Diablo 4 wand has a side effect that causes some players to feel motion sickness, nausea, and dizziness, with worries about potential epilepsy triggers also raised.
The problem with The Oculus
A video by u/dreamknoxville, who describes themselves as a “long-time Diablo 4 streamer,” is making some players feel physically ill simply from watching, with others reporting concerns about potential epilepsy triggers. The clip shows The Oculus in action, swiftly moving the player through a cave, dealing lightning damage to enemies as they go. The problem, however, is the random teleportation, which causes the player’s movements to rapidly shift, making the gameplay jumpy and uncomfortable to watch – and to play, as well – as it makes the screen itself appear to jump around.
“I couldn’t finish the video because I felt so sick,” one commenter says. “I have Meniere’s disease, and my dizziness was so bad I had to stop… the rapid camera movements and flashing lights are not good for anyone.” Other players without diagnosed illnesses report feeling dizzy or nauseous simply from watching the video, despite not having any history of illness or motion sickness.
“It’s not just motion sickness,” another player writes. “I don’t have any diagnosed illness but I can feel my heart rate increase, my eyes start to get watery and my hands get clammy. It’s really uncomfortable to watch.”
If this issue becomes widespread and causes harm to players through nausea, dizziness, or other symptoms, then Blizzard would likely need to address it. Of course, if The Oculus is causing harm, then the concern for player well-being should outweigh any visual or gameplay effects Blizzard may have intended to achieve through the design of the Unique.
The issue may also be exacerbated by The Oculus’s use of flashing lights and rapid camera movements, which can cause discomfort even without a pre-existing health condition. The setting of the video – a dark, enclosed cave – may also play a part, heightening the effect.
We’ve contacted Blizzard for comment and will update this story with any response. In the meantime, The Season of the Malignant is here and brings new Uniques for each class in Diablo 4. You can check out the new gear in our Diablo 4 Malignant Passives guide, or take a look at all the Diablo 4 classes to see how they’ve changed in the latest season.
