Blizzard has given Diablo 4 fans some promises and hope following all the Diablo Immortal backlash. Since its release, consumers and critics alike have heavily criticized the monetization of Diablo Immortal. This criticism and backlash have transformed into concerns about Diablo 4. Amid all this concern, a job listing for the game was posted looking for a “driven individual to manage the Diablo IV in-game shop experience and who has “experience working in a live service gaming environment.” Naturally, this job listing exacerbated concerns for Diablo 4 that were already brewing.ย
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All of that said, Blizzard is well aware the narrative is starting to turn on Diablo 4 and has attempted to catch this narrative before it snowballs anymore. Over on Twitter, a popular YouTube content creator — Gothalion — praised the fact that the game will not have mobile-style monetization. Responding to this, Global Community Leader over at Blizzard, Adam Fletcher, took this as an opportunity to really drive this point home.
“Diablo 4 is coming out as a full-price game built strictly for PC and console audiences. The game is huge and there will be tons of content after launch for all players,” said Fletcher.”Paid content is built around optional cosmetic items and eventually full expansions.”
If that sounds like a statement that is trying to distance Diablo 4 from Diablo Immortal that’s because that’s almost certainly what it is. Of course, reiterating these types of talking points will ameliorate the growing negative narrative around the game, but only time will tell if it will be enough. Of course, if Diablo 4 comes out and is really good, how it’s monetized won’t matter, unless it’s monetized very aggressively, which is very unlikely, and not the case according to Blizzard. If the core product is great, people are willing to put up with a lot.
Diablo 4 is set to release worldwide sometime in 2023 via PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS4, and PS5. For more coverage on the upcoming Blizzard game — including everything between the latest official news and the latest unofficial rumors and speculation — click here.
