'Diablo Immortal' Release Date And PC Version Revealed

The mobile version of Blizzard’s beloved “Diablo” series is finally due to release this year for Android, iOS and PC.

“Diablo Immortal,” the controversial mobile game adaptation based on “Diablo III,” will officially go live on June 2 on Google Play, the App Store and Battle.net for their respective platforms. The game will be completely free-to-play, though players can expect the usual array of microtransactions via an in-game shop.

First announced in BlizzCon 2018, “Diablo Immortal” was received very negatively by fans of the series due to overall skepticism about mobile games and their disappointment over a lack of major PC announcements during the event, especially one for “Diablo IV.”

However, players and critics given the opportunity to play the game early gave it favorable impressions. Users on Reddit praised the punchy action-combat and story presentation but criticized the microtransactions.

Such in-game purchases include items that boost the drop rates of rewards (Crests), consumables that reroll equipment stats (Reforge Stones), two types of premium currencies (Eternal Orbs and Platinum) and a battlepass, which has free and premium reward tracks.

Blizzard previously announced that they want to focus on keeping players engaged with “Diablo Immortal’s” core gameplay regardless of their decision to make any in-game purchases. They have also been listening to microtransaction feedback very closely.

“Diablo Immortal” is set after “Diablo 2,” and it will feature a new cast of characters and unique storyline that fits into the game’s greater mythos. Still, players can expect some familiar characters to appear, including Baal, the Lord of Destruction.

At launch, players can choose between five iconic classes: Barbarian, Necromancer, Wizard, Demon Hunter and Crusader.

The game’s overall look and feel are similar to “Diablo 3,” with the brightly-colored and somewhat cartoony artstyle. Combat is fast and flashy, taking cues from its direct predecessor to deliver satisfying gameplay.

“Diablo Immortal” is built from the ground up for mobile devices, which should alleviate some concerns about the usual gripes regarding the difficulty of using touchscreen controls. However, Blizzard confirmed that the game would also be playable on PC in their latest trailer.