Diablo 4 will not share Diablo Immortal's monetization systems, Blizzard has confirmed.
Instead, monetization in Diablo 4 will be strictly for "optional cosmetic items and full story-based expansions," Diablo boss Rod Fergusson confirmed in a tweet (opens in a new tab). Echoed the sentiment, Blizzard president Mike Ybarra quoted Fergusson's statement on Twitter, writing "100%" (thanks, Eurogamer (opens in a new tab)).
Diablo 4 is set to release in 2023, and it looks like the development team has read the room when it comes to Diablo Immortal's overwhelming reception. The mobile and PC title has an extremely low average user review on Metacritic (opens in a new tab), with most players citing the intrusive microtransactions as reason enough to avoid the game.
Some have criticized the game's content for simply not being fun or engaging. Others became bitter after discovering hidden progression caps that punish free players.
To be clear, D4 is a full priced game designed for the PC/PS/Xbox audience. We're committed to delivering an incredible amount of post-launch content for years to come, anchored in optional cosmetic items and full story-driven expansions. More details soon. Necro blog tomorrow June 12, 2022
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Positive message, but...(*4*)
So far, the Diablo 4 development team has said and shown the right things. Pre-alpha gameplay snippets and a great showing on Xbox and Bethesda Showcase were positively received by the fanbase.
It was also helped by grittier aesthetics and higher levels of character customization, as well as the aforementioned move away from the Diablo Immortal business model.
That said, Blizzard's reputation for squeezing money doesn't go away overnight. Diablo Immortal, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft have been criticized for questionable monetization schemes.
Fans will be eagerly awaiting to see what state Diablo 4 launches in when it comes to PS5, Xbox Series X | S and PC next year.
We would love for Diablo 4 to release and be incredibly well received. The series popularized the loot-filled hack 'n' slash game, and it should have a chance to reclaim that throne.
However, the game has yet to prove that it won't appeal to five-cent gamers like its mobile stablemate. And that's not to mention the satisfying gameplay, plentiful loot, and satisfying progression, it's going to have to be a sequel worthy of the Diablo name.
Diablo 2: Resurrected showed us that there is still life in the old dog. The ball is firmly in Blizzard's court to deliver a Diablo 4 that fans new and old are proud to play on a regular basis.