In early June, Diablo Immortal was released and received a lot of criticism for its real-money shop. This shop has dampened some people’s enthusiasm for the upcoming Diablo 4. However, Blizzard employees are now speaking out and revealing details about the monetization of the upcoming game, which is said to look completely different.
What do the employees say about Diablo 4? The upcoming Diablo 4 will also have a shop where you can make purchases with real money. This has been clear for several years and was recently reaffirmed with a new job posting (via Blizzard).
However, the shop is supposed to differ significantly from Diablo Immortal. Rod Fergusson, the “Closer,” who was specifically brought in to complete Diablo 4, emphasized in a tweet that his game will be a full-priced title for PC, PlayStation, and console. The game is to be supplied with new content for years and will rely on expansions. The shop, on the other hand, is only meant to offer cosmetic content.
This tweet was commented on by Blizzard CEO Mike Ybarra with a “100 %”:
Focus on core community and paid addons
What else do the employees say? Adam Fletcher, Community Lead for Diablo at Blizzard, emphasized again in his tweet that Diablo 4 will be a full-priced title meant for PC and console players.
The idea is to release cosmetic items and likely paid addons with new content. Pay2Win as in Diablo Immortal seems to be off the table:
When will we learn more about the shop? Both Fergusson and Fletcher emphasize that “soon” there will be more information about the shop. When exactly this will be is not known.
In the meantime, we do know that Diablo 4 is expected to be released in 2023. You can even pre-register for the beta right now.
Diablo Immortal has become the mobile game many feared
What is the problem with Diablo Immortal? Diablo Immortal is Free2Play and thus does not have initial costs, which Diablo 4 will have. Instead, there is a greater focus on the shop. One problem is the legendary gems:
- These gems are strongly tied to luck. To get them, you need gem emblems. For the highest gems, you also need legendary emblems.
- These legendary emblems can be obtained in small numbers in-game, but the easiest and largest quantity can be bought for real money in the shop.
- Twitch streamer Asmongold also spent 320 euros to show his viewers how the loot differs between Free2Play and paying players.
Learn more about gems in our video:
Another criticism of the shop is that cosmetic items are only unlocked for one character. If you play multiple characters, you’re out of luck.
What do you think about the information regarding Diablo 4? Do you believe that Blizzard will keep the shop fair, or has your experience with Diablo Immortal made you skeptical?
