game informer november 2018 diablo immortal

The conniving monetization practices are seen as a scourge slowly leaking into full-priced titles, threatening to turn classic franchises into money-grabbing, soulless shells of their former selves that commercialize a key aspect of gameplay.įor the rest of the world, though, free-to-play games are more universally accepted by gamers.

In the West, mobile games continue to be seen as the enemy by some: Casual titles with lackluster visuals, gameplay-limiting timers, and copious reasons to nickel-and-dime players for the privilege of continued play. We’ve had a few years to calm down, and with the game’s release on the horizon, it’s time to admit that Blizzard’s most controversial title could very well be its biggest business venture yet. The mistake Blizzard made with Diablo Immortal wasn’t its creation, though, but simply where the company chose to announce it. It was like the moment we watched Ralph Wiggum’s heart break in that classic Valentine’s Day episode of The Simpsons. The event spawned the now infamous “Don’t you guys have phones?” meme that will, for generations to come, remind us of the moment Blizzard’s player-friendly mask cracked to reveal gaming’s great villain. Conditioned over the years to believe that its adoring fans would lap up anything with its brand IP attached, Blizzard endured a vocal backlash that tore deep into its cushy reputation.ĭiablo Immortal was revealed to a sea of boos: The audience Blizzard had fostered over the decades felt betrayed by the notion that the slow-turning cogs of an Activision merger were finally transforming a company that cared about its community into one that simply cared for its bottom line. On an ill-fated evening in November 2018, Blizzard decided that a gathering of hardcore gamers was the best place to unveil a new mobile-only game in a franchise that was begging for a proper numbered sequel.

Game informer november 2018 diablo immortal