The German ARPG expert Wudijo has evaluated the status of Diablo Immortal in a YouTube video. He believes that the game is currently excellent as a mobile game and sets ‘new standards’. However, he also sees major problems that could lead to the game’s downfall in the long term.
Who is the expert? Wudijo is a German full-time streamer, well-known among many fans thanks to the Diablo games. Through the “Maxroll” site, he has published many popular guides in written form or linked them on his YouTube channel.
The expert on Diablo 3 has also spent many hours in Diablo Immortal. On his server (Dark Wanderer EU), he is currently the highest-ranked monk in the PvP leaderboards. His character is, according to him, completely Free2Play.
What is his opinion on Diablo Immortal? In a nearly 20-minute video, Wudijo has given a detailed analysis of the new MMORPG from Blizzard. Unsurprisingly, he also speaks a lot about the question of whether Diablo Immortal is pay-to-win.
The expert starts the video with some statements about the general quality of the game. He expresses a lot of overwhelmingly positive remarks:
- He has ‘played the game a lot and had a great time.’
- Diablo Immortal is ‘incredibly good, especially as a game that fits in your pocket.’
- ‘As a game, it sets new standards, especially for mobile gaming.’
- He also believes that most players, like him, are having a lot of fun.
- Aside from some minor bugs, he has no major issues with the game.
However, as the title of the video suggests, the expert believes that Diablo Immortal could face significant problems in the long run. The title is: ‘What needs to happen for Diablo Immortal not to die a quick death?’
Here you can see the complete video:
Why could the game die? For Wudijo, PvP is clearly more than just a side activity in the game or just something for hardcore gamers like him. On the contrary: the game has a ‘strong focus on PvP’, as the title of the game and things like the Shadow War demonstrate.
And because in PvP, those who invest the most will quickly crush the Free2Play players, a gap arises between Free2Play and pay-to-win players. That the game is pay-to-win is beyond doubt for Wudijo – after all, it is a mobile game, he argues.
Theoretically, since one can spend unlimited money on the game, this gap can keep widening. And that poses a problem for both types of players, says the expert.
- Free2Play players will eventually lose motivation to upgrade their gear.
- Pay2Win players will also become fragmented. The super-rich gather in their small, exclusive club without being able to showcase their OP gear, while “Midrange whales” will eventually also lose interest in playing and investing.
The gaps are simply too large, which is why there is ‘no reason to make an effort at all.’
In our video, we give you a brief and helpful overview of all classes in Diablo Immortal:
How can Diablo Immortal be saved? If any form of long-term motivation is to exist in the game, a kind of ‘normalization needs to happen’, says Wudijo. Furthermore, there must be some goal that players can work towards.
Free2Play players have very few things to do, while ‘pay-to-win has not only no cap but is also not time-limited.’
Wudijo suggests as a potential solution that the gear difference in PvP be limited to a maximum of 10%, regardless of the actual difference in stats outside of PvP. This way, pay-to-win players would have a numerical advantage, but the best Free2Play players could still win with good gameplay.
What do you think of his analysis and improvement suggestions? Do you agree that PvP is an important and major part of Diablo Immortal? Or is PvE and Free2Play enough for you? Let us know in the comments.
If you want to learn more about a build that will definitely be a lot of fun and can bring great success, we have something for the Necromancer:
Diablo Immortal: Necromancer build deals brutal damage – abilities, attributes, equipment
