Diablo 4 is one of the hottest games on the planet right now, with praise from gamers and critics alike and $666 million in sales within the first week of its release. Since the game is about a battle between the forces of hell and those of heaven, we can’t say we are surprised.
Diablo 4 is available on both major consoles and the PC but is not present on the Xbox Game Pass. With Microsoft’s bid to buy the company looking more likely with each passing day, many gamers have wondered whether this will change in the future.
Recently, something happened that seemed to confirm those suspicions. A Brazilian payments app by the name PicPay published an ad that claimed Diablo 4 is available on the Xbox Game Pass. The app’s ad read, “Available Now. Get it now or play it through Xbox Game Pass.” It has since been deleted.
This is not happening.
— Mike Ybarra (@Qwik) July 11, 2023
Since this is a fairly contested topic, the ad quickly made its way to Twitter, where it generated a lot of conversation and eventually caught the attention of Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Ybarra.
However, Ybarra was quick to put an arrow through the heart of gamers hoping for the game’s release on the Game Pass. He responded, “This is not happening,” thereby putting an end to the speculation that the game will be available on the subscription service, at least in the nearest future.
As we mentioned earlier, Microsoft is currently in the process of buying Activision Blizzard. Even though the acquisition has had more than its fair share of roadblocks, things are finally looking up. A few days ago, the company scored a victory in its quest when a US Federal Judge permitted it to continue with its purchase.
If, in the end, Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard, then that company’s brass will be the one calling the shots. Since their ultimate goal is to make gaming more accessible and win market share from their eternal rival Sony’s PlayStation, we believe they will release Diablo 4 on the Game Pass, regardless of what Ybarra says.
Of course, this, in turn, could result in inner turmoil within the sister companies.
For now, Diablo fans can rest easy knowing that Blizzard is all-in on supporting the game, controversies included. The first season, Season of Malignant, will debut on July 20. But, ahead of its release, one of the game’s developers has advised gamers to take a break from playing Diablo 4 to avoid burnout.
Judging from how loud the Diablo 4 community remains, it’s safe to say that no one is taking a step back from the game anytime soon.
