There were plenty of surprised Game Pass fans this morning. It was quickly spread online that the latest release from Blizzard Entertainment, Diablo IV, was coming to the Xbox video game subscription service. That all sparked from an advertisement in Brazil that led to so many reports that we might see this game coming to Game Pass sooner rather than later. But today, we’re finding out that the head of Blizzard Entertainment is now debunking this claim outright. So it looks like you might have to purchase the game if you want to play it on the line of Xbox consoles.
A single tweet is killing off this rumor and hype train. Mike Ybarra, the president of Blizzard Entertainment, took to Twitter and stated that Diablo IV was not coming to Game Pass. It’s not something in the works yet, and we’re not surprised. The game just launched, so it would be a bit of a surprise to see it already land on Game Pass, especially since it was not set up as a Game Pass launch title. While Mike didn’t state that this game would never come to Game Pass, it at least looks like there are no current plans right now. So it could be just a matter of time before we start seeing games like Diablo IV come to Game Pass. Of course, Microsoft is looking to speed that up.
Microsoft had made a massive bid to acquire Activision Blizzard. It would then see the line of games from these studios land on Game Pass. So that means titles like Diablo IV and Call of Duty are available through Game Pass. Likewise, future titles would see a launch on the service alongside being released into retailers. But the only thing holding Microsoft up right now are regulators who are going over this deal. Currently, Microsoft is battling it out with the FTC in court while also having appealed the decision to block this deal with the CMA.
If this deal goes through, then we might see Diablo IV launch into Game Pass shortly after. But for now, if you want to go through this game, then you will need to purchase a copy. Currently, Diablo IV is available to pick up and play for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC platforms. Meanwhile, if you want a bit more insight into the game and overall impressions of the title, then check out our Before You Buy video coverage down below.
