Diablo 4 Launch Will Include Microtransactions
Activision and loot boxes continue to be a hot topic of debate in the gaming community. While the Call of Duty series replaced loot boxes with a season pass, the Diablo 4 launch is different. In a recent interview with Twitch streamer Quin69, lead game designer Joe Shely confirmed that Diablo 4 will have microtransactions.
The Interview
Quin69 recently attended BlizzCon2019 and streamed the Diablo 4 demo as he discussed new game features with Joe Shely. Quin69 asked if gamers can buy the base game or if Activision will require a subscription. Shely replied with the following, “Diablo 4 will be available as a base game, and we are going to have expansions. You also will be able to acquire cosmetics in the game.”
Reading between the lines, the implication is that cosmetics means loot boxes. Quin69 asked a follow up question, “so, MTX? Is that going to be through some sort of shop?” Shely was noticeably uncomfortable with the question, but replied with a simple “it is very early, but yes.”
Fans of the Diablo series were already upset when Activision announced Diablo Immortal as a mobile game nine months ago. Now Activision confirms that the Diablo 4 launch includes loot boxes. While the loot boxes are purely cosmetic, the decision likely saddened fans of the series.
Conclusion
Grind and loot collection defines Diablo games, but adding paid loot boxes feels out of place. Time will tell if fans care about cosmetic upgrades, but the early signs leave much doubt. We have to wonder if the season pass approach for Call of Duty would work better in Diablo 4. For now, we have to wait for the release date and the sales data to follow, but we remain skeptical.
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