Since its release last week, Diablo Immortal has received a mixed reception from fans and critics, with many taking issue with its employment of microtransaction and loot box mechanics.
These mechanics, which have led Activision Blizzard not to release the game in either Belgium or The Netherlands due to local laws around loot boxes, remain a source of controversy even among those who have chosen to pick up the game.
This is certainly the case for one streamer, who’s decided to invest significant sums of money into the game in order to demonstrate how unfair and problematic its microtransaction system is.
Diablo Immortal Streamer Is Left Five Star Gemless
Striving to prove that those who attempt to accelerate their progress by opening up their wallets to the free-to-play mobile game are getting a raw deal, New Zealander Quin69 has poured over $10k into the game since it came out.
This total was reached during a 13-hour-long stream on June 7, which saw the streamer still go without a single five-star gem, despite regularly investing $25 chunks of money over the duration of the stream.
In one clip, Quin69 reacted to a short video of Blizzard’s Wyatt Cheng discussing Diablo Immortal’s microtransactions, with the streamer saying: “how can Wyatt be sitting there saying ‘make a great game first’, when this isn’t even a game”, going on to ask viewers: “what do you think they spent more time on?”
He also added: “It’s almost like the game is like 80 or 90% trying to take money from you and then like 10% game.”
The experience the streamer outlines certainly isn’t in line with comments made by the game’s Principal Designer Joe Grub to PCGamesN prior to its release, with the developer having said that: “the optional purchases are always a bonus, they never circumvent core gameplay”.
Despite this and the fact that, in the same interview, the game’s developers championed its free content as being more than enough to provide an in-depth and enjoyable experience, it seems as though other players are having a similar experience to Quin69.
A recent post by user SVNihilism in the Diablo Immortal subreddit declares the game to be: “pay to win, with nothing to win”, adding: “Beyond the core daily/weekly log in rewards and battle pass, there's only an illusion of progress.”
The post also states: “It doesn't matter if you're F2P or a megawhale, everyone is stuck on the exact same treadmill, doing the same things, with the only progress being at the complete mercy of RNG.”
Meanwhile, a reply to the same post from user ToastyGoat_321 claims: “You're not better off playing multiple characters. You're better off playing a different game.”
Make sure to follow us for more Diablo updates, as it seems Quin69’s expensive experiment isn’t over yet. And if Quin69's monetary ordeal hasn't quelled your interest in the game, our Diablo Immortal tier list can help you get started.
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