Blizzard has taken a path less traveled with Diablo 4. While its previous outing, Overwatch 2, was the first to find its way to Steam, it did so much later in its lifecycle, where it was met with an avalanche of negative reviews. However, with the latest entry in the action RPG franchise, Blizzard has opted to embrace both Steam and the certification for the Steam Deck simultaneously. This coincides beautifully with the delayed onset of Diablo 4's Season 2, the Season of Blood, a season that draws its inspiration from the timeless lore of vampires.
We can only speculate about why Blizzard is finally opening its once-exclusive doors to other platforms. But, the impact are clear. By doing this, Blizzard aims to broaden the game's audience. Given the "live" aspects of the game, which may not be performing to their anticipated standards, this move could be a strategic play to bolster those metrics. To be a lot more specific, the Steam Deck, with its handheld gaming design, feels like it was almost tailor-made for a game like Diablo 4.
Now, while many might wonder why Blizzard didn't take this route initially, one can't ignore the financial aspects. Steam does take its 30% cut, a cost that Blizzard doesn't incur with its internal launcher. Moreover, with Diablo 4's plethora of high-priced microtransactions, introducing the game to Steam implies sharing a significant chunk of that revenue. The good news is that, should this maneuver prove fruitful in amplifying the player count, the economic trade-offs might be justifiable.