Off Topic Discussion Megathread

[Vahlnir]

Pay to win becoming more mainstream outside of mobile? Yeah, I think it will only get worse. Pay to win becoming mainstream on PC/console games will probably be what players will have to deal with through the 2020s.. I see it only getting worse from here until laws are put in place in countries like the US, and more in EU. It's being shown more and more that people are willing to accept it, and that just means everyone will start copying these models going forward. Just like how every game has to have season passes and everything now.

The only positive thing at the moment is that Diablo Immortal put that practice right into the spotlight and the criticism on full blast. It probably won't amount to much, but at least a few more people are aware of this sort of thing now and can see how predatory it can really be if left unchecked. Blizzard did this shamelessly, though I was not surprised. Very little that they do surprises me anymore. But even this was a new low for them. It forced them to come out and say "GUYS, CHILL. Diablo 4 will only have cosmetic items on its cash shop!" I don't believe them at all, but you can tell they are being hammered when they have to come out and make a statement. Their usual reaction is to hide until the problem goes away.

[SturmChurro]

The only positive thing at the moment is that Diablo Immortal put that practice right into the spotlight and the criticism on full blast. It probably won't amount to much, but at least a few more people are aware of this sort of thing now and can see how predatory it can really be if left unchecked. Blizzard did this shamelessly, though I was not surprised. Very little that they do surprises me anymore. But even this was a new low for them. It forced them to come out and say "GUYS, CHILL. Diablo 4 will only have cosmetic items on its cash shop!" I don't believe them at all, but you can tell they are being hammered when they have to come out and make a statement. Their usual reaction is to hide until the problem goes away.

They didn't say that actually. They said it would be "anchored around" cosmetic items. I don't keep super up to date with Blizzard news, but I did see a bit of Asmongold going over this. Like he said, "anchored around" isn't an exclusionary statement. The backlash from Diablo Immortal has put Blizzard on blast, but people are still playing it, and still paying large amounts of money for it. From what I've heard, it is quite highly rated on mobile as well.

[Vahlnir]

They didn't say that actually. They said it would be "anchored around" cosmetic items. I don't keep super up to date with Blizzard news, but I did see a bit of Asmongold going over this. Like he said, "anchored around" isn't an exclusionary statement. The backlash from Diablo Immortal has put Blizzard on blast, but people are still playing it, and still paying large amounts of money for it. From what I've heard, it is quite highly rated on mobile as well.

That is true. You are probably right on their intent here. Wording is everything.

[SturmChurro]

That is true. You are probably right on their intent here. Wording is everything.

I saw a bit of the Diablo Immortal director or something even saying "well you can't buy gear with money" or something like that. Now I haven't played it, so I'm not for sure, but from what I have heard the statement is technically true. Wording is definitely everything. Besides, even if they did say it would only have cosmetics we have seen companies just outright go back on the statement a few months later.

To add, from what I have seen, Blizzard just seems to like to be VERY technical with all their wording. Especially with a lot of what I have seen from Diablo Immortal. It definitely makes Dragonflight, and Diablo 4 suspect.