Microtransactions and aggressive monetization are becoming more and more prevalent in modern gaming. Publishers and developers continue to push the boundaries between what is and isn’t acceptable with every year that passes, despite the fact that some of them, like Activision Blizzard, already rake inbillions of dollars through loot boxes and other forms of downloadable contenteach and every year.
The sheer scale of the problem was recently highlighted by the hosts of the YouTube channel, Bellular News, who calculated thatit would cost players $110,000 to fully gear up inDiablo Immortal. Despite the negative reaction that this news garnered, however, it appears that Activision Blizzard may be ready to double down, with a recent job listing suggesting thatDiablo 4could also feature an ungodly amount of monetization.
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The listing in question, which is for a Product Manager forDiablo 4, reveals that the successful candidate “will play a critical role in managing theDiablo 4in-game store experience,” which is described by the listing as “a key component of the game’s seasonal content strategy.” Whoever gets the job will also be responsible for identifying sales trends and quantifying purchase behaviors, as well as using tools to configure prices and availability within the in-game store.
Though some may see all this as harmless enough, others will no doubt find some of the language used throughout the listing to be a little troubling. In particular, the in-game store being described as a “key component” and the revelation that the game will feature an “ever-growing catalog of virtual products” seem to suggest that a lot of thought has gone into how best to monetizeDiablo 4prior to its release. Indeed, if the job listing is to be believed, shop content already has its own roadmap despite the fact thatDiablo 4still doesn’t have a definitive release date.
Many expectDiablo 4to arrive at some point during 2023, so there’s every chance that things could change between now and when the game finally hits store shelves. Whether that comes courtesy of Activision Blizzard having a change of heart and scaling back its plans for monetization or more governments bringing inanti-loot box regulations similar to the ones in Belgium and the Netherlandsremains to be seen. Either way, though, fans of theDiablofranchise will be hoping thatDiablo 4does not suffer the same fate asDiablo Immortalwhen it comes to microtransactions.
Diablo 4is in development for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.
