In the feb 28 update this asterisk (Online multiplayer subscription may be required. ) was included in the mail, and it felt to me like they were making a WoW style of monetization. I didn’t play WoW because I don’t want to pay a monthly fee on top of buying a game+expansions. Is this the case or is this just the “cosmetic only” not pay to win, monthly subscription might be required to get all the pretty armor but definitely not pay to win stuff. (I expect it to devolve into pay to win, but I don’t care about PvP, don’t care about the meta, don’t care about ever seeing another player.)
I have been a faithful Diablo fan. Bought d1 at least 3 times. I wore out several d2+exp cd’s and rebought it in battlenet so at least I won’t have to rebuy it again. The hours spent playing it never made me upset having bought multiple copies. played it alone and with my roommate in college years after it was an “old” game, never really enjoyed the online coop version, but I understand the draw. D3 was a kind of cartoon version of d2, not my cup of tea but I have played through it multiple times with all the original characters. Immortal was fun at first but then I needed raids, 20 kinds of currency, and daily this and you can’t power up unless you’re linking up with others and… just never felt like a lone hero. it was d3 with 10 heroes all charging in and no tactics and strategy just barbarians screaming and killing everything… don’t get me wrong it is still one of the best games I’ve played on my phone, but it felt like d3 on steroids with required multiplayer and thousands of heroes all running around obliterating the poor lowly hordes of hell. it also felt like Cain faked his death so that he could recruit a secret society of heroes that always existed and that he never needed that lone hero as there was a whole army of nephalem at his disposal, all vetted by the trials and the immortal shadows war… how does this storyline mesh into the larger diablo timeline, im lost. or maybe I missed something that makes it work…anyway
D4 seems like my kind of game, but I like the Diablo series because it felt like you were a lone warrior fighting against the hordes of hell, outnumbered, and death was lurking around the corner. I play hardcore just to feel that kind of fear of starting over. Playing online introduces lag, and possible connection issues making me feel hardcore is a bit unfeasible with my older computer and such… ok ill suck it up for a good game. then you’re playing in a world with other heroes… ** you will still feel like you’re alone but you’ll see others in sanctuary** ok… not really the world I love but ok. Then I read the fine print on this update and i’m like… @#$%^&*() seriously… are we really going to require a subscription.
I love diablo, I love being alone, standing as the solitary rock holding back the unending terrifying minions of hell… I love paying for the game, and then playing for years without reinvesting, developing play styles for each character all my own, without competition from anyone but myself. They advertised this as a game for me, they promised that they were doing things exactly like I wish d3 would have been, im super stoked to play but im not paying 100 for a game and then paying for subscriptions to play an always online mmo… I want a diablo game… the one they promised. I feel like a bait and switch is coming.
1 Like
You’ll take this monetization and like it. After all, they’re doing all the other things you want like removing the “absurd numbers” of D3 by introducing power caps and making the loot ultra rare again.
Its D2 with a subscription. Go play it. Its EVERYTHING you said you wanted.
Lol sure, but if I’m paying a monthly subscription, I don’t feel I should be paying for a $100 game upfront… cause of course I’m going to get everything. They said it was not going to be a subscription monetization back in 2019+/-… but the promises of corporations and politicians I guess.
2 Likes
If the game is good, I’ll pay for it. No problem for me.
1 Like
100% related to consoles requiring subs to play online games (outside of certain f2p games)
5 Likes
Agreed. It’s highly likely to be talking about consoles as you’d need to pay subscription (playstation plus for example) in order to play online multiplayer with most games.
1 Like
thanks didn’t consider that
1 Like
One reason I was not going to get the XBOX version is that it was stated a Live subscription was required. If the PS5 version also requires a subscription, just to play couch co-op, then goodbye to Diablo. I cannot justify an expense for a service I will use very little of, for a single game I am not even sure I want to play.
1 Like
Yeah, that’s the reason why I don’t intend to play D4 on console. I have no problem playing Diablo on console as I have D2R and D3 on console. But I have no intention of paying subscription unless it was absolutely necessary, as such it’s PC for me with D4.
Never considered playing on a console… but I’m glad they are considering other play styles
1 Like
It is simple
Blizzard is realizing that the anticipated sales of Diablo IV are not as expected and is already seeing the need to improve revenue for the company.
The new yachts are very “cost”
Yea, it sucks, but its not really up to blizzard, it’s sony/microsoft setting that requirement.
1 Like
None of my other games require it. Surely, the subscription is required for the cross-platform/cross-progression Battle.Net authentication rather than any (game) reason mechanically. If I had other games that needed a subscription just to play them, maybe there would be justification.
Granted, for XBOX One X, I only own 4 games. For PS5, it is more like 20 now. So a small sample but I only play RPGs and similar.
It’s only required for online games that use servers generally.
If all you play is generally single player RPGs and not things like CoD then you probably never ran into it.
When you have a game on a console you’re required to use that companies servers, not your own, so most non-f2p console online games require a sub to the console company.
Blizzard won’t see any of the money from a console sub, it all goes directly to Sony/MS
1 Like
Blizzard gets as much money as us from MS or sony from their sub. Which is grand ZERO.
Only F2P games are free on console, & only because the profits from f2P are partially taxed by the platform owners.
I realy love you people, always jumping on the worst case scenario. It’s so entertaining, i’m afraid i’ll run out of 
This. It is talking about Console services which Blizzard has no control over.
1 Like
It’s honestly what I do best imo.
Yeah i wasn’t refering to you. More like OP, and everybody who were instantly up in arms, and outraged. Instead of thinking about console subscriptions.
It requires subscription? Hopefully Game Pass Ultimate subscription works.