Anticipation has been building around the Microsoft and Activision Blizzard deal, especially now that it will close on October 13. Many speculate that, as soon as the deal closes, we'll see titles like Diablo 4 appear on the Xbox Game Pass almost immediately. Despite the hopes, Blizzard Entertainment just made it clear: Diablo 4 will not be gracing the Game Pass in the immediate future.
Activision Blizzard recently addressed these swirling rumors and it's not good news. In a statement shared across its social media platforms, they highlighted, "While we do not have plans to put Modern Warfare III or Diablo IV into Game Pass this year, once the deal closes, we expect to start working with Xbox to bring our titles to more players around the world.
This indicates a direction towards expanding Diablo 4's accessibility but on a longer timeline. This strategy by Activision Blizzard is a calculated move. With Diablo 4 having raked in over $666 million in game sales since June, the company will want to maximize its revenue from direct sales before transitioning to a subscription-based platform. This same sentiment applies for their other major release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, which comes out in November.
The dynamic between Activision Blizzard and Microsoft post-acquisition is of tremendous interest. Activision Blizzard has said many times before that Diablo 4 heading into the Game Pass is off the table. The latest statement, however, suggests that it's only a matter of time. Furthermore, once the ink dries on the deal, Microsoft will likely have the final say in the game's distribution, eschewing a more collaborative approach. There's a clip online from an interview between IGN and Microsoft Gaming head, Phil Spencer, that all but confirms this.