This complaint is wrong on so many levels.
First off, those icons look just fine, not graphically outdated or out-of-place. They are part of well-established lore and part of Arthas' aesthetic. Players have come to recognize that particular icon for Death Coil, for example, as it's been used in this form across multiple games. This brings us to interface 101: do NOT make unnecessary changes.
Why the hell WOULD you change the icons? In an industry where games sell millions of copies but are considered commercial failures because of ridiculously over-inflated budgets, any such cost-reducing means are to be encouraged. This isn't lazy. It's smart. We're not talking re-using the same 3-4 levels, a la Dragon Age 2 here, it's a bunch of freaking icons and sounds. It's why companies like Blizzard can afford the polish and work that goes into all their games.
And to put the question in another way: Would you want a not inconsiderable piece of the budget to go to new art and sound when they already have a bank of hundreds of icons (ignoring lore, interface, etc) and sound clips or to polishing the game?
First off, those icons look just fine, not graphically outdated or out-of-place. They are part of well-established lore and part of Arthas' aesthetic. Players have come to recognize that particular icon for Death Coil, for example, as it's been used in this form across multiple games. This brings us to interface 101: do NOT make unnecessary changes.
Why the hell WOULD you change the icons? In an industry where games sell millions of copies but are considered commercial failures because of ridiculously over-inflated budgets, any such cost-reducing means are to be encouraged. This isn't lazy. It's smart. We're not talking re-using the same 3-4 levels, a la Dragon Age 2 here, it's a bunch of freaking icons and sounds. It's why companies like Blizzard can afford the polish and work that goes into all their games.
And to put the question in another way: Would you want a not inconsiderable piece of the budget to go to new art and sound when they already have a bank of hundreds of icons (ignoring lore, interface, etc) and sound clips or to polishing the game?