While fans were ecstatic to hear that Diablo III would finally be coming within the foreseeable future, many were disappointed by the change in aesthetic from the last game to this one. As of now, there’s a fan-created petition urging Blizzard to make the game darker, more gothic, gritty, and realistic. Right now it has a staggering 26,000 signatures!

Lead Producer Keith Lee says that the art direction is deliberately stylized in the Blizzard tradition (as seen in Starcraft II shots as well), and that they’re employing “cleaner textures so that you can really focus.” He also emphasized the need for contrast and color in the visuals, saying “color is your friend,” and cited The Lord of the Rings films as a visual inspiration.

Will the petition accomplish anything at all? It seems as though the number of signatures will keep growing all the more as a response to this defensive explanation on Blizzard’s part—the fans will simply fight harder. Perhaps some sort of compromise will be reached and we might see some slight changes to the graphics in the future? It’s entirely possible, since the game is still in alpha and many details have yet to be finalized.

[MTV Multiplayer / via Joystiq]