In a statement that will likely surprise no one, Diablo IV‘s lead designer Joe Shely has stated that the game will have microtransactions. Specifically, cosmetic microtransactions. During BlizzCon 2019, Twitch streamer Quin69 had a conversation with Shely and asked him about microtransactions. During the interview, Shely said, “Diablo IV will be available as a base game, and… you will also be able to acquire cosmetics in the game.”
Today it was confirmed that Diablo 4 will have cosmetic microtransactions in addition to xpacs.
This honestly bums me out more than I thought it would. Just, like…why? Why does all the best looking shit in every game now come with a price tag? https://t.co/M4Wuoex5si
— Skill Up (@SkillUpYT) November 2, 2019
For Quin69’s full interview, head here.
I need that cool armor, but it costs $9.99
Shely stated that development is very early but that there will be an in-game shop and microtransactions. In these days of monetization schemes, it was inevitable that Diablo IV would include something of the sort. Overwatch already has loot boxes and cosmetics, and Hearthstone has purchasable decks and cards. Companies are looking for more and more ways to get money out of their products.
Before you grab your pitchforks, remember that the current king of ARPGs, Path of Exile, also has a purely cosmetic shop. Of course, the difference is that Path of Exile is a free-to-play game. Therein lies the conundrum. Is it justifiable for a full-price game to lock gameplay elements behind an additional paywall?
Path of Exile features an in-game shop where players can purchase cosmetic gear and additional stash tabs.
I don’t like purchasing a full game and having content locked away, even if it is just cosmetic. On the other hand, cosmetic microtransactions allow for an additional flow of income. That money can help developers improve upon an existing game. It’s a tricky situation. But one thing is for certain — as long as Diablo IV doesn’t have a real-currency auction house, then it already has a leg up over its predecessor.
Additional little things
Besides the in-game shop and cosmetic microtransactions, Diablo IV will also have expansions. Shely pointed out that it will be available as a base game, which means that there will likely be a standard, premium, deluxe, and some sort of Hellfire Nightmare edition for purchase.
When asked about hideouts or player housing, à la Path of Exile, Shely stated: “That’s an interesting idea, but we don’t have anything to announce on that.” It will be interesting to see if and how Diablo IV learns from PoE‘s success.
For more information on Diablo IV, check out everything we know about it so far.
