The last beta of Diablo 4 is over, but Asmongold is not missing the chance to talk about the monetization of the new hack & slash before the release. He agrees: Battle passes are bad and the deluxe edition is a nasty trick.
Who is Asmongold? On Twitch, Asmongold is one of the biggest streamers for MMORPGs. He became famous with World of Warcraft but also plays other games like Path of Exile and Lost Ark. His opinions on many topics in gaming and streaming are entertaining and valued, as the streamer never holds back.
Now Asmongold has reacted to a video regarding detailed facts of monetization in Diablo 4, where he perceives the deluxe edition as pure pay-to-win.
If you do not know Asmongold, we have a more detailed video about his career and life:
Asmongold would also sell deluxe editions as a developer, despite P2W
Why is the deluxe edition of Diablo 4 pay-to-win? Blizzard itself states that Diablo 4 will be free from P2W. There will be no possibilities to buy an unfair advantage over free-to-play players.
Nevertheless, Asmongold sees a nasty trick in the pre-orders of the more expensive editions, as those who pay more money get into the game earlier. For him, that is P2W, as you can secure an advantage over players who only join four days later.
Many players therefore feel compelled to buy the more expensive editions just to get into the game earlier. Many developers take advantage of this and try to make millions of dollars. As examples, Asmon mentions Lost Ark and Hogwarts Legacy. He says it is a lucrative trick that he would also pull off if he were a developer.
You can find his full reaction in his video on YouTube, which we have embedded for you here:
What are the key issues in monetization? However, it has not remained just with the more expensive editions, as the battle passes seem to be a thorn in Asmon’s side. He does not understand why they are temporary.
Fans are going to pay money for it anyway. So, they should be able to earn them even after a season has ended. This would ensure that fewer players are demotivated when they realize they are falling behind.
In-game currencies are also a nasty trick, as they cause fans to lose track of how much they are actually putting into a game. Diablo 4 is also supposed to have such a currency, so that you can purchase the battle pass and skins in the shop.
The topic of monetization is highly likely not over yet, as Diablo 4 has not been released yet. It remains to be seen how expensive the developers will set the prices for the skins and DLC of the hack & slash and how the season’s content will turn out. Do you agree with Asmon or cannot you understand him? Let us know in the comments!
All info about the release of Diablo 4 can be found here in our overview: Diablo 4: Release, beta, classes, gameplay, and pre-order overview
