TheDiablofranchise is in a weird place. On one hand,Diablo Immortalis the lowest-rated game in Metacritic history going by user score, with fans revolving against its microtransactions and aggressive monetization. On the other hand, many fans have come away impressed with what they’ve seen ofDiablo 4at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase this past weekend, with praise for the addition of the Necromancer class and the gameplay on display. Even so, there are many who are worried aboutDiablo 4afterDiablo Immortaland fear that the new main series game may suffer from similar monetization problems.
In an attempt to clear the air,Diablofranchise General Manager Rod Fergusson took to Twitter. Fergusson, who presented thenewDiablo 4trailersat the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, clarified that the game is going to be a “full price game” built with core gamers in mind. Fergusson added that Blizzard plans to supportDiablo 4with new content “for years” after the game’s launch, while also providing some examples of what that post-launch content could be.
RELATED:Chilling Diablo 4 Trailer Reveals 5th and Final Class
As explained by Fergusson,Diablo 4will sell “optional cosmetic items,” which is presumably how the game will incorporate microtransactions. Additionally,Diablo 4will also sell “full story driven expansions,” which would be in line with previous games in theDiabloseries. The firstDiabloreceived theHellfireexpansion, whileDiablo 2received theLord of Destructionexpansion.Diablo 3received two expansions after it launched:Reaper of SoulsandRise of the Necromancer.
It’s not uncommon forDiabloexpansions to add new classes to the mix, so it will be interesting to see ifDiablo 4does so with its post-launch support. It’s possible new character classes will be tied to expansions as they’ve been in the past, but there’s also the possibility that they will be added as free updates, similar to how Blizzard releases newOverwatchheroes for free. Finer details like this won’t come to light until we get closer toDiablo 4’s release date, which is currently scheduled for some point in the first half of 2023.
While Fergusson’s tweet was meant to calm the nerves ofDiablofans who are worried aboutDiablo 4in the wake of theDiablo Immortalcontroversies, there are those who are skeptical. Many are worried thatDiablo 4will have pay to win elements likeDiablo Immortalhas, or will otherwise try to nickel and dime players with predatory monetization. Time will tell, but based on what’s been shared so far, it seemsDiablo 4may avoid making the same mistakes asDiablo Immortal.
Diablo 4will launch in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
