Diablo fans concerned that Immortal is a “pay to win” Diablo 3

Lauren Bergin
diablo immortal necromancer with skeletons

Diablo Immortal brings the demonic franchise to mobile, but some fans are concerned that it’s simply a pay to win version of the divisive Diablo 3.

Diablo Immortal marks a new chapter in the history of Blizzard’s devilishly delightful franchise, as it brings the iconic ARPG dungeon crawler to mobile devices across the globe.

Set between the events of Diablo 2’s expansion, Lord of Destruction, and its apparently divisive sequel Diablo 3, Diablo Immortal sees the heroes of Sanctuary return once more to tear through the hordes of the Burning Hells.

Following the closed beta, however, a lot of players are concerned that the game is basically a Diablo 3 replica on mobile – but this time, it’s accompanied by a whole host of microtransactions.

diablo immortal barbarian and wizard
Diablo Immortal brings some familiar faces back into the fray – but are they too familiar?

Diablo fans concerned over Diablo Immortal

As Diablo 2 Resurrected continues to struggle, and Diablo 4 has been postponed into 2023, Immortal is the only thing that fans of the bloodstained series have to look forward to. Turns out, though, that some of the beta feedback isn’t music to our ears.

After one fan asked on the mobile game’s dedicated subreddit “is Diablo Immortal like Diablo 3?” the responses are pretty bleak for those who weren’t vibing with the third installment’s flashy mechanics.

“Initially, very much so. Long term, I’m worried it’s too P2W with all the crafting mats, crests only available to purchase,” states one player. “With most of the power coming from upgrading gems, legendary gems, and equipment using crafting mats, it feels a bit like a cheap p2w [pay to win] clone.”

Another echoes this sentiment, writing that Blizzard’s “business model is pay2win and they will never change that.” Lamenting that “it’s over,” it seems like even the Archangel of Hope‘s uplifting songs can’t save this lost soul.

A final response reads “the in-game systems and gear progression is interesting but seems very pay to play right now. I didn’t mind dropping 20 bucks but it would probably require multiple purchases to keep character progression feeling fun,” concluding that “they gotta give f2p [free to play] an avenue to play or people will quit.”

While the consensus is that it is “a very good game,” pay-to-win games often fail to win over even the most dedicated communities. As the title progresses and we catch some further glimpses into the chaotic world of Diablo Immortal’s Sanctuary, it’ll be interesting to see if Blizzard adjust their microtransactions before release.

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About The Author

Lauren was formerly Dexerto's Features Editor and resident Diablo Sorceress. With two Master's degrees under her belt and a lot more Steam achievements, she specializes in all things Blizzard and Riot Games, with some Lost Ark and FFXIV on the side.