Earlier this year, Blizzard launched its latest foray into the mobile market with Diablo Immortal. This marks a new push by the studio to enter the mobile market, and it is the first new Diablo game since 2012. Many players found that the gameplay and combat were pretty fun, and some felt it was a good Diablo adaptation for mobile. However, Diablo Immortal's predatory microtransaction model has created much controversy and further damaged the public perception of Activision Blizzard. The studio has not shown any indication that it will change this model, and it is hard at work on its next mobile title Warcraft: Arclight Rumble.
Diablo Immortal's microtransactions have been the topic of conversation ever since players found out that it could cost them up to $110,000 to fully gear up their character. While these microtransactions are pretty extreme, the game has already passed $100 million in revenue on mobile platforms alone. This return on investment will only give Activision Blizzard more of a reason to head down the mobile path, and it is very possible that Warcraft Arclight Rumble will adopt Diablo Immortal's model. However, that could further damage Activision Blizzard's reputation within the gaming community and harm a brand that is already struggling after two controversial World of Warcraft expansions.
Diablo Immortal's Controversy Explained
Diablo Immortal has been the source of controversy ever since it was announced at Blizzcon 2018. It was the first new Diablo title since Diablo 3 in 2012, and fans were expecting it not to be a mobile game. The announcement was met with a negative reaction, and it spawned the infamous "do you guys not have phones?" meme. The game began to drum up bad PR before it was even released, but it would get even worse.
Diablo Immortal was finally released in June, and it had the biggest launch in franchise history. Players soon discovered the predatory microtransactions that were ingrained within. If players want to reach the highest power levels in the game, the easiest way by far is to spend real-world money. Players can purchase buffs and modifiers to speed up their progress, and the game also offers loot boxes that contain items that are not easy to acquire.
These loot boxes contain all sorts of items including legendary-tier gems. If players do not want to put in a large amount of time grinding out these items then they can purchase loot boxes. Some players have done the math and discovered that it could take up to $110,000 to fully gear up their Diablo Immortal characters, and that has created a bit of controversy within the gaming community. Yet, there have been players that are willing to spend the money and that has given Blizzard reason to keep its model.
Warcraft Arclight Rumble Needs to Tread Carefully
Blizzard plans to follow Diablo Immortal with Warcraft Arclight Rumble sometime soon. This will be the first mobile only Warcraft title, and will be taking the franchise to the action strategy genre. It looks to be very similar to Clash Royale with a Warcraft skin, and World of Warcraft fans are kind of worried. With the way Diablo Immortal turned out, Warcraft Arclight Rumble may not have the best future ahead of it.
Diablo Immortal's microtransaction model has not only put a bit of a stain on the Diablo franchise, but it has also created even more bad PR for a company that has recently been caught up in lawsuits and protests over workplace harassment. Blizzard does not look great in the public eye right now, and controversies like Diablo Immortal are not helping. Blizzard cannot adopt a similar model for Warcraft Arclight Rumble for its reputation's sake.
The Warcraft brand is also in a bit of a tough spot after two expansions that were not received very well by fans. Many players have felt like the story direction in Battle for Azeroth and Shadowlands has not made sense and has not stayed true to pre-established lore. The playerbase has also felt like Blizzard has started caring more about keeping players logged in than crafting a fun game. While Dragonflight aims to change that, some damage cannot be undone. If Warcraft Arclight Rumble proves to be just like Diablo Immortal, then the brand could be hurt even more, and that is the last thing that Azeroth needs.
Warcraft Arclight Rumble is currently in development for iOS and Android.