Blizzard Fined Over Diablo Immortal Loot Boxes

By Ricky Frech

With Diablo Immortal celebrating its first year on the market, you might expect everything to be rosy around Blizzard Entertainment. However, a new announcement from PEGI, the rating board over in Europe, has revealed that the company will be paying €5000 for failing to disclose that they contained loot boxes. That, of course, is a relatively minor fine considering how much money Blizzard has made from in-app purchases in Diablo Immortal. As of late last year, there were reports that it had cleared $100 million in revenue, making this fine feel like a drop in the bucket in comparison.

The news was first spotted by Eurogamer, and while this isn't going to be much of a deterrent for Blizzard, it does at least ensure that the store listings are clear for players. That's a small victory, but at least you know exactly what you're getting into with Diablo Immortal now. Blizzard also wasn't the only company hit as Hunt: Showdown Bounty Hunter – Limited Edition was given a similar fine. Again, neither company is going to be hurting much in the pocketbook after this, but it is at least a step in the right direction. 

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(Photo: Blizzard Entertainment)

After all, there is mounting pressure, especially in Europe, for loot boxes to be more heavily regulated. We've seen Belgium say that loot boxes are gambling several years ago, with The Netherlands taking a similar stance. There are also countless studies out there talking about the dangers of loot boxes on both children and adults. Even with this fine being so small in comparison to how much Diablo Immortal and Hunt: Showdown are making, it's yet another blow to developers using the controversial practice. If nothing else, moves like this from PEGI will at least make it clear what you're buying and what it contains. That's not perfect, but it is progress.

If you're looking to play Diablo Immortal without spending a dime, the upcoming Diablo 4 crossover event should be an excellent way to progress without breaking the bank. Of course, if you'd rather skip the game entirely on principle, that's more than understandable. Either way, with Diablo 4 set to launch on June 6, there is plenty of great Diablo-related content to hop into right now.

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