In a rather lengthy post, Bashiok revealed the reasoning behind the removal of the weapon swap key. The full response can be viewed here (yes, there was more to it than is shown).
Official Blizzard Quote:
One good reason why it's not a feature we like the idea of is that it adds a new type of play complexity that we don't want to layer on top of those that we already have. We're creating the game, the skills, the movement speed, kill rates, skill runes, and all other combat related mechanics and features to fit as tightly together as possible. Throwing in weapon swapping forces that tightening/balancing to take it into account. Only thing is that it's not a clear cut feature. You either know how to game it - or you don't. So it creates a separation of players that isn't based on use of the character and skills but doing this weird little trick and swapping back and forth between weapons at specific times. It becomes a necessity to remain effective or as a strong opponent[.]
As much as I would like to see the weapon swap key in game, this does make sense. Many times, you would have your normal weapon, and then a "buffing weapon" on your alternate set to cast buffs with. Many players grasped this, and it really did create a rather wide divide. Players who did utilize this often had an immense edge over those who could not, or could not afford to do so.
Official Blizzard Quote:
I know this is probably the wrong audience to try to make that argument to, because most of you are on the winning end. But trust us that there will be plenty of separation between you and the noobs to show how awesome you are without weapon swapping.
This is what makes me hopeful for the future. At face value, it may seem that Blizzard is simply "dumbing down" the game to better suit new players. However, when we consider the other new systems that are more complicated than weapon swapping could ever hope to be (Skill Runes), it shows that a "dumbed down" version of Diablo will not be hitting the shelves. On the contrary, it seems that it will be a blend of ease of use, and complicated features for experienced players.
Official Blizzard Quote:
You also have the issues of it just being used for storage, which feels super cheesy. Or as a means to game MF by swapping in weapons to get 0mgz uber dropz.
I hate to admit it, but I fell into this trap many a time. I would often find myself using my second weapon set as extra storage for that polearm I wanted to sell, or those javelins that I couldn't tetris into my inventory. While this is not a game breaking feature, it is rather cheesy and pointless, so it is easy to see the backing behind this point.
As for the second part, many players (myself included), would simply swap weapons when a boss was close to dying, and be rewarded with extra loot. This may seem fantastic, but there is a valid point behind it. If we are allowed to do this, then we will not have to balanced our gear between combat, and loot-finding capabilities. We'll be able to adjust on the fly, and with a minimum of consequence. Basically, it would take a large portion of pre-planning and work out of the equation.
However, I assume that players will still be able to keep alternate weapon sets in their inventory, and just swap them out through more tedious methods. While this will still acheive the same ends as the weapon swap key, at least it will come with some downsides. Since, while you are changing weapons, the demons will not be taking a coffee break.
They're coming for you, with or without their morning cup of java.
I am glad that they are looking at the old systems and fixin them.
I won't miss the weapon swapping too much. I mean, LoD was the one to introduce the feature, anyway. It's just another step in, hopefully, putting the Diablo series back to it's roots.
Though, this is because I played a lot of single player, and nearly ALWAYS had a weapon swap on with a ranged weapon if I was melee.
So it's real obvious that alot of folk are going to disagree or fail to see the point of it's removal.
On the other hand, it is telling us something;
The ammount of balancing won't be as rediculously dumb as it was back in D2. Where they were literally forced to create 1 shot kill monsters just so they could keep providing challenge for players, who had over abused every single (unbalanced) feature in the game to make UBER chars.
When we see them basically breaking down every single system, no matter how insignificantly small it may seem, just to figure out which one can or cannot be abused is really showing that this time around they are taking a responsible approach to designing this game.
So I guess I'm all for it.
No you are not.
Last time there was a discussion about this and they said it wouldn't be back, people were a lot more negative than today... for some reason.
I don't care the reason they remove it, because these reasons are stupid. I mean, granted, I don't want weapon swap for all those "tricks" that I actually never did. I want weapon swap to... gasp... swap weapons normally like intended.
Maybe limit it so that one is melee and the other is ranged, can't have both. I don't know. I don't care. Just dropping the feature because other people "abused it" and gave themselves an edge by doing a lame and unfun task is just stupid.
I never liked quickly swapping weapons in a game, for all the reasons bashiok has mentioned, and because a good game shouldn't even need it.
Besides that I honestly don't care if they take it out. Lets see...one weapons swap button or lots of different ways to customize? Not really a contest
Indeed. What does one truly have to do with the other?
When I seen expansion I understood they've rid the work...
You either use it or don't. It's like being given a cup of coffee. You either drink it or not. you don't ask yourself- Do i know how to drink it or not.
I found the feature really useful very early on in the game, especially when you are a caster or melee- as you can have ranged weapon in your second slot.
Mid-game: weapon swap was meaningless to me. You were unlikely to find a second set of weapon/weapon or weapon/shield that was worth swapping for. Indeed you might not need one, especially if you are specializing in a particular damage- your skills without any 'boosters' are enough to cater for you with just one weapon of choice.
End-game- Weapon swap becomes important again.
For a direct-damage(melee or range)type, weapon swap becomes handy especially when you meet some nasty immune.
You can play around with a lot of combo Like having a chance to cast amp.damage(or any handy spell with %chance to cast) on one and the killer weapon on another. Or different elemental damage types concentration in different weapons. One set is cold based. The other lightning maybe.
For casters, I found weapon swap useful because you are a ranged guy. One slot will be for kickass shield and decent caster weapon for 'bad times' and the other for total killer damage(in +skills).
And no I never used it for MF because that was lame as shit. MF weapon had pitifully pathetic damage and the last breath of the boss drags on too much if you switch too early or if you wait too long, the boss is already freaking dead. I either went out in full MF gear or full killer. Waiting to hit the switch button at the right time was not something fun to me.
Anyway I found weapon swap a handy feature because it adds to customization in gampelay without carrying an extra weapon/shield in your packback and also not having to run with your tail between you legs when the heat gets turned on and you find you need to change weapons.