The boss of Blizzard has insisted Diablo 4 will not launch on Game Pass amid rumours the action role-playing game is set to hit Microsoft’s subscription service.
Responding to a tweet that mentioned Diablo 4’s availability in Xbox Game Pass on a Brazilian payments app, Blizzard president Mike Ybarra said: “This is not happening.”
This is not happening.
— Mike Ybarra (@Qwik) July 11, 2023
That’s a definitive-sounding statement, but it hasn’t stopped some fans from wondering whether Diablo 4 will eventually come to Game Pass if Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard goes through.
The entertainment world awaits a verdict in the FTC trial some experts say will determine the fate of the deal. An announcement could now be imminent, with all eyes on the San Francisco judge who is set to make a call on a preliminary injunction that, if successful, would probably put an end to Microsoft’s pursuit of Activision Blizzard for good.
Meanwhile, some Xbox owners are holding off on buying Diablo 4 in the hope the deal goes through and the game then comes to Game Pass. Redditor P0PE_F0X is doing just that: “I’ve been steadily holding off but the game looks so good I might cave.” “Yes same goes for COD,” i_am_legend26 agreed. “I only want to play the campaigns tho.” “100% waiting,” added allnida.
Redditor Cannedcocktail said they own a copy of the game on Xbox, but are holding off on double-dipping on PC while “waiting impatiently for the trial outcome”. Then there are those who say they won’t buy a copy of Diablo 4, but will play it if it were to come to Game Pass. “I wasn’t going to buy it anyway,” Halos-117 said. “But if they put it on GP I’ll probably give it a go.”
Even if Microsoft were to buy Activision Blizzard, it’s unclear whether the likes of Diablo or Call of Duty would launch on Game Pass. During the FTC trial, Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick admitted he’s not a fan of multi-game subscription services, hence why Activision games have (largely, though not entirely) failed to appear on them. If the acquisition happens, Kotick acknowledged he’ll be stuck with Game Pass whether he likes it or not. “I don’t agree with the idea of a multi-game subscription service as a business proposition going forwards, but we [Activision and Microsoft] can agree to disagree,” he said.
Perhaps this is what Ybarra is alluding to in his tweet. As far as Activision Blizzard is concerned, whether it’s owned by Microsoft or not, Diablo 4 will not launch on Game Pass. Of course, if Xbox boss Phil Spencer ends up with Blizzard under his belt, things may change…
Feeling burnt out by Diablo 4? Blizzard has told players who have reached all their goals that it’s fine to take a break from the game ahead of the launch of Season 1, dubbed Season of the Malignant, on July 20. If you’re still playing, check out our interactive Diablo 4 map to start tracking your progress as you play.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
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