Diablo 4 devs promises Game Pass release won’t get in the way of making a “great game”

As the first Activision game to release on Xbox Game Pass following Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition, Diablo 4 is now available to many more players. While some players are worried the game’s cheap barrier of entry will reduce the quality of free updates, Blizzard has reassured fans that they will continue to make the game great.

Game Pass won’t ruin Diablo 4

Speaking to VGC, Diablo series head Rod Fergusson and executive producer Gavian Whishaw explained that the game’s addition to Game Pass isn’t changing anything. While paid DLCs, like the upcoming Vessel of Hatred, are on the way, the game’s free updates won’t change because of its new release.

In the interview, Fergusson explained that “nothing has changed” for the game’s release strategy. Instead, the strategy is to continue to “make great games”.

“When you talk to Matt Booty about that and you go ‘okay, what can we do? What’s the number one thing? How do we lean in on Game Pass?’, he goes ‘make a great game,’” he continued. “And that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to have a game that people want to continue to play, a game we’re going to support for years and years to come, and make great additional content, and keep people playing, and keep our community fed.”

Going where the players are

Ferguson continued to explain that the addition of a Game Pass release is simply exciting for developers as more players get to experience the game. With Diablo already earning millions in microtransaction content alongside its premium release and expansion costs, there is no reason for the team to change anything, but they can serve more players.

“It’s super exciting to be where the players are. You know, there’s a bunch of people on Game Pass and it’s great that we can get the game to them. That’s very exciting,” Whishaw said.

“That’s like going to Steam,” Fergusson followed up. “It’s like, when you see what we do with Diablo Immortal as a free-to-play game, it’s that idea of going where the players are and meeting them where they play. And so all the things that we’re doing beyond making a great game is making sure it’s available to as many players as possible.”

Diablo 4’s new expansion comes with the addition of a free Season 6 upgrade, massively overhauling the game’s progression. While some hilarious exploits existed in the season’s PTR server, Blizzard is working hard to deliver an exciting new endgame for all players.