In an exciting move for Xbox fans, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have announced a special promotion allowing Xbox owners to dive into the dark and thrilling world of Diablo 4 – for free!
From October 19, starting precisely at 12:01am Pacific Time, until the stroke of midnight on October 22, players will have the unique opportunity to experience this action role-playing game without any cost. However, as with all great things, there’s a catch.
Diablo 4, which had its grand launch in June, has since cemented its status as a powerhouse in the gaming world. Critics and players alike have showered praise on the game as it ran off the gates hot by setting a new sales record for Blizzard. Unfortunately, the succeeding months, including the release of the first season, haven’t been kind to it. But, with Season 2 arriving alongside its launch on Steam comes hope. This recent promotion, therefore, offers a golden opportunity for the uninitiated to understand all the hullabaloo surrounding the game.
Yet, the freedom to roam the game’s vast expanse is slightly curtailed. Players will be limited to 10 hours of gameplay during this promotion. While this might seem generous at a glance, dedicated players, particularly those keen on diving deep into the Season of Blood or aiming to tackle its 30-35 hour campaign, might find themselves yearning for more once the trial concludes. However, these 10 hours will allow players to get a substantial taste of the game’s universe, its mechanics, and its narrative drive.
The best part is that this promotion isn’t exclusive to subscribers of Microsoft’s Game Pass Core or Game Pass Ultimate. In essence, even those without a subscription can indulge in Diablo 4’s gritty charm. This move is part of Xbox’s new initiative to offer “Timed Trial” games, allowing players to sample the full gameplay without restrictions. It isn’t a mere demo with a set ending. Players are free to traverse as much of the storyline as they can within the allocated 10 hours.
While limited to a few days, this offering is much more generous than what Sony is offering exclusively to PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers.
For those who find themselves wishing to continue their adventure in Diablo 4, there’s further good news. The game can be purchased at a significant discount during this promotional window. Specifically, eager adventurers can avail a 25% discount on the game, ensuring that their journey in the world of Sanctuary continues unhindered. To sweeten the deal, all progress made during the trial, including any Gamerscore and achievements, will be seamlessly transferred to the full game upon purchase.
This generous promotion is part of Microsoft’s ongoing event, Free Play Days, which is a long-standing tradition that enables Game Pass subscribers to try out selected games every weekend at no additional charge. In addition to Diablo 4, this weekend also sees other titles such as NBA 2K24, Lawn Mowing Simulator, and Hokko Life being made available for Game Pass and Game Pass Core subscribers, albeit without the playtime restrictions that Diablo 4 has.
The timing of this promotion is particularly noteworthy. It comes hot on the heels of Microsoft’s landmark acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a deal that brought iconic franchises such as Diablo, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Call of Duty under Microsoft’s expansive umbrella. As a result of this acquisition, there’s widespread speculation, and perhaps hope, among the gaming community that Diablo 4 might eventually make its way to the Xbox Game Pass. However, both the companies have clarified that there are no plans for such an inclusion this year.
As Phil Spencer clarifies, Microsoft was too busy trying to buy Activision Blizzard that it couldn’t find the time to figure out how to incorporate its games to the Game Pass.
In any case, for those who want to initiate the trial, Xbox players simply need to navigate to the Microsoft Store app on their Xbox console, search for Diablo 4 and follow the prompts for the free trial.
Ironically, Diablo 4 is being given away for free (at least for 10 hours) in the same week that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 came out. We’re not saying that this is Microsoft’s way of, at the very least, fighting back, but we just did.
Diablo 4 is currently on Steam where it’s not exactly enjoying the warmest of receptions.
