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[ManaByte]

https://www.wowhead.com/news/diablo-iv-monetization-explained-no-pay-to-win-328413

Season Pass and Season Boosts​

• Diablo IV's monetization model will not be pay-to-win and won't include items that can be bought in exchange for player power.
• Diablo IV will feature the Season Pass system, a "battle pass-style progression". Like Hearthstone and other games, the Season Pass will contain Free Tiers which can be progressed simply by playing the game. Players can also buy access to Premium Tiers, a second progress track.
• As the name implies, the Free Tiers are free for all players. Premium Tiers can be bought to advance a second track that rewards players with additional rewards that won't increase character power.
• Free Tiers will reward players with "gameplay boosts", better known as Season Boosts, which will help accelerate players' progress during the active season, for example by increasing experience gains.
• Premium Tiers will reward players with seasonally themed cosmetics and premium currency which can be used in the in-game cosmetics shop.
• Season Boosts are free for all players and can't be bought by purchasing Tiers.
• Players can unlock all Tiers by instantly buying them - except Season Boosts. Additionally, players need to hit certain level milestones to apply Season Boosts.

In-Game Cosmetics Shop​

• The in-game shop will feature only cosmetic items.
• Players can preview cosmetic items in Diablo IV's in-game shop.
• Many (but not all) shop cosmetics will be class-exclusive but can be used on all characters for the given class in the future.

Cosmetics​

• The following item slots can be transmogrified: Head, Torso, Hands, Legs, Feet, Main Hand, and Off-Hand.
• Certain cosmetics will be themed around the active season and will only be available during that season.
• Certain cosmetic types are exclusive rewards of the Season Pass. These types of cosmetics for example could be wings, banners, or character portraits like in Diablo III.
• Cosmetics will be "grounded within Diablo's world", and players will be able to mix individual components to create a unique transmog, much like in World of Warcraft.
• According to Blizzard, the best-looking cosmetic sets aren't exclusive to the in-game cosmetics shop.

So basically they're just selling cosmetics. It's not the Diablo Immortal system some people were FUDing it would be.

 

[winjer]

Considering this is Blizzard.....

 

[Punished Miku]

Is this a $70 game? GTFO.

I'll probably wait for Gamepass if this is the kind of thing they want to talk about right now.

 

[Nautilus]

Ugh. Sucks either way.

To be expected of the current Blizzard, but wished they went back to just sell the game and actual expansions.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Yeah, this is basically what I was expecting. Diablo Immortal was co-developed by NetEase, so of course it was wearing all that horrible mobile monetization nonsense and then some. They weren't gonna carry that nonsense to IV. It wouldn't float at all.

I will say a Season Pass / Battle Pass formula is pretty strange for NOT a F2P game. But I guess we'll see how it goes.

 

[ManaByte]

Is this a $70 game? GTFO.

I'll probably wait for Gamepass if this is the kind of thing they want to talk about right now.

The highest version of WoW: Dragonflight is $90 and you still need to pay $15 a month and they have $25 shop mounts.

 

[Hendrick's]

Sounds like they are doing the right thing. No complaints.

 

[adamsapple]

All that sounds great on paper. I'm eagerly looking forward to this getting a release date.

 

[Shifty]

Monetization

Welp, show's over.

Time to go and play Grim Dawn again.

 

[Punished Miku]

The highest version of WoW: Dragonflight is $90 and you still need to pay $15 a month and they have $25 shop mounts.

Only Blizzard game I've played in the last 15 years was Diablo III on console. Didn't buy any DLC and had a good time.

Honestly cosmetics in this kind of game is a bit silly anyway when your character is so small and only seen overhead. Only slightly less silly than costumes in a FPS where you can't even see yourself.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Every Diablo game was Pay-To-Win since the 2 boom

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[Con_Z_ǝdʇ]

Why not make a normal game without all this? I had high hopes for Diablo IV but not anymore.

 

[MagiusNecros]

Imagine unlocking cosmetics in the game itself just by playing the damn game lol

If it has monetization then P2W is sure to follow.

 

[ShaquilleOatmeal]

Good lord, how hard is it for them to just focus on the damn core game experience and leave this bullshit for later. Did anyone want this info now?

 

[ManaByte]

Did anyone want this info now?

Based on the number of clickbait YouTube channels with videos saying "DIABLO IV PAY TO WIN?!!?!?", Blizzard had to come out and say "No, we're not doing that."

 

[Con_Z_ǝdʇ]

Free Tiers will reward players with "gameplay boosts", better known as Season Boosts, which will help accelerate players' progress during the active season, for example by increasing experience gains.

This could mean anything. What does it even mean?

 

[clarky]

Good lord, how hard is it for them to just focus on the damn core game experience and leave this bullshit for later. Did anyone want this info now?

I think after immortal, they wanted to quash the rumours that IV was going the same way

 

[Punished Miku]

Free Tiers will reward players with "gameplay boosts", better known as Season Boosts, which will help accelerate players' progress during the active season, for example by increasing experience gains.

This could mean anything. What does it even mean?

It means this is how they get you used to going to the store to see their dumb ads.

If it's a free xp boost, it doesn't even need to be an xp boost. It would just be in the game. But this way they get you to show up and claim it and train you to regularly consider buying things like a salivating dog.

 

[Con_Z_ǝdʇ]

It means this is how they get you used to going to the store to see their dumb ads.

If it's a free xp boost, it doesn't even need to be an xp boost. It would just be in the game. But this way they get you to show up and claim it and train you to regularly consider buying things like a salivating dog.

Just unnecessary!

 

[clarky]

Is this a $70 game? GTFO.

I'll probably wait for Gamepass if this is the kind of thing they want to talk about right now.

Can't say its rare these days.

Edit: just to add after reading the blog they are going full live service with this so as long as the seasons are good then ive no issue. I prefer this to a monthly sub for example.

Time will tell i suppose. Game looked fantastic at the xbox showcase.

 

[HF2014]

Cmon, its just cosmetic. Just hope some cool looking transmog will be offered at some point without paying extra.

 

[alienator]

Its not pay to win but still build to make u pay, one way or the other. The whole core of the game will be like this as its build around it.

heres a cool hat. grind 50 hours for it. or pay 4.99 and have it instantly.

When will people understand ??

 

[sankt-Antonio]

Fuck Blizz. It is cosmetics only until its not. Good looking shit being paywalled/gated is shit for a game that is not free 2 play. Fuck off with this nonsense ... Meh.

 

[Lady Jane]

Another game that's going to bombard me with season pass bullshit

 

[Lupin3]

I bet the loot in this game is going to be great, considering they have both an in-game store and a battle pass.

Fuck off, Blizzard!

 

[Hendrick's]

Why not make a normal game without all this? I had high hopes for Diablo IV but not anymore.

The kids these days don't play games without season passes and cosmetics.

 

[ManaByte]

I bet the loot in this game is going to be great, considering they have both an in-game store and a battle pass.

Neither of which is selling loot.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Can't say its rare these days.

Yep.

Path of Exile or the like seems to have it done right with this type of model.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Why not make a normal game without all this? I had high hopes for Diablo IV but not anymore.

Why not leave 50% (likely more) of earnings on the table?

 

[Lupin3]

Neither of which is selling loot.

So you're saying your character's appearance isn't affected by what you can find?

 

[GymWolf]

Nice to hear.

 

[Shifty]

Why not leave 50% (likely more) of earnings on the table?

Spoken like a true shareholder.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Any word on there NOT being controller support on launch like ALL Blizzard games.

 

[clarky]

Fuck Blizz. It is cosmetics only until its not. Good looking shit being paywalled/gated is shit for a game that is not free 2 play. Fuck off with this nonsense ... Meh.

Ever been a paid game that has gone from cosmetics then play to win? Star Wars Battlefront is the nearest i can think of but they went all in from the start on that lol.

 

[SirKicksalot]

Every Diablo game was Pay-To-Win since the 2 boom

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There's an old rumor that the Path of Exile guys were running a business like this before starting GGG.
There was also this:

 

[StateofMajora]

Don't worry guyz, it's only hoarse urmer.

 

[Haggard]

So basically they're just selling cosmetics. It's not the Diablo Immortal system some people were FUDing it would be.

because you can totally trust people trying to sell you a product, especially those with such a great track record..........

 

[KyoZz]

Wait so now it's perfectly normal to get a shop in a 50e game? WTF.
B-b-b-but it's only cosmetic so it's fine... well no

"Premium Tiers will reward players with seasonally themed cosmetics"

Well cosmetics can be a big part of those games, I know they are for me. The fact that some things will be locked behind a paywall is a freakin dick move.
No buy.

 

[clarky]

Should be on gamepass day one, easy way to find out if its full of shit.

 

[nkarafo]

The ever growing cancer of videogames. This is going to be the hobby's demise.

This or streaming.

 

[ManaByte]

So you're saying your character's appearance isn't affected by what you can find?

Never heard of transmog? It's a feature in Diablo III and WoW where there are cosmetic items that just affect the appearance.

 

[clarky]

Wait so now it's perfectly normal to get a shop in a 50e game? WTF.
B-b-b-but it's only cosmetic so it's fine... well no

"Premium Tiers will reward players with seasonally themed cosmetics"

Well cosmetics can be a big part of those games, I know they are for me. The fact that some things will be locked behind a paywall is a freakin dick move.
No buy.

Again its a live service, id expect decent updates and story beats each season, if not then fair enough.

Dont see the outrage, 99% of paid live service games do this Destiny & COD for example.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

This is supposed to be a live service game. As long as they keep delivering good content, I have no problem with this. I might even purchase a Battlepass or two.

 

[ManaByte]

Dont see the outrage, 99% of paid live service games do this Destiny & COD for example.

 

[CaptainSlayAHo]

Hopefully that doesn't mean that regular equipment make you look like a bitch, but overall it could certainly be worse

Not entirely sure what some here are bitching about though, literally any game where you can trade equipment for an unset price is p2w at some level, you could buy SOJ's in d2 anywhere lol

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

Yeah sure, at the beginning they're always cosmetic items only promise, then cash grab temptation happens and they add "confort items", but it's not P2W, trust us !

Looking at you Shitout 76

 

[KyoZz]

Again its a live service, id expect decent updates and story beats each season, if not then fair enough.

I wonder how games where doing to survive like, you know, 10 years ago?

Dont see the outrage

A shop in a full priced game. No matter it is "only" cosmetics, those are a big part in this genre of games.

Destiny & COD for example

 

[DeepEnigma]

There's an old rumor that the Path of Exile guys were running a business like this before starting GGG.
There was also this:

Would not surprise me. They had these rumors for Diablo 2 devs too back during the OG boom.

 

[clarky]

I wonder how games where doing to survive like, you know, 10 years ago?


A shop in a full priced game. No matter it is "only" cosmetics, those are a big part in this genre of games.

Ten years ago we had paid expansions and map packs. As long as the base game is solid im fine with buying a season pass or a wand shaped dildo skin for ongoing updates and support.

 

[sankt-Antonio]

Ever been a paid game that has gone from cosmetics then p(l)ay to win? Star Wars Battlefront is the nearest i can think of but they went all in from the start on that lol.

Blizz altered loot/droprate in DIII to make the auction house more desirable. Had to backtrack after the backlash... These fucks have no shame.

Its a full priced game, I want all the content available in decent playtime including skins.

A game specific currency is also a fucking bad practice. "Oh the skin costs 699 Platinum, damn you can only get 799 Platinum for ten dollars... well better buy another platinum pack again since I have some left over in my stach" etc.

Its the whole scum playbook.. Also what's up with the whataboutism in here. "COD and Destiny are doing it so..." Its a shitty thing regardless of how many games do this.