Since its release in June, Diablo Immortal has been the subject of criticism for its common microtransactions. Players say it can cost thousands of dollars without seeing the legendary gems they want from the loot box. However, Blizzard CEO Mike Ybarra is still in favor of monetizing the game.
of New interview At the Los Angeles Times, Thorns favored the game’s microtransactions. He argued that this was implemented to make the game more accessible. “When we think about monetization, at the highest level,” How can we provide a free “Diablo” experience to hundreds of millions of people who can literally do all 99.5% of the game? “Ibara said. LA Times.
He also advocated how to implement microtransactions, as microtransactions work primarily only in the later stages of the game. “Monetization is coming late,” continued Ibara. “The philosophy has always been to lead with great gameplay and allow hundreds of millions of people to run the entire campaign at no cost. From that perspective, I think it’s a great introduction to Diablo.”
Blizzard also said that although it doesn’t provide specific stats, most players don’t spend money on the game. But recently, Diablo Immortal’s microtransactions have yielded $ 24 million in profits in just two weeks.
The title has recently been removed in Belgium and the Netherlands due to its heavy reliance on loot boxes, as many countries have come to consider loot boxes as exploitative.
The review gave Diablo Immortal 6/10 and praised some aspects of gameplay, but said it needed “a major overhaul of monetization and many restrictions.”
Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer for IGN. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner..
