The long-awaited release of Diablo IV has quickly surpassed several records set by Blizzard. According to a press release, in less than 24 hours, the game has become the best-selling title of all time for the developer.
Furthermore, it has broken all pre-order records on both consoles and PC. During the four days of Early Access, players have accumulated over 93 million hours of gameplay, which is equivalent to over 10,000 game years.
Despite the fact that the company has not revealed specific figures, the enormous hours of gameplay recorded in such a short time indicate a successful operation of the game. However, the question arises as to how these numbers affect server loads.
Early access and content engagement
Before the game was made available in early access, Blizzard claimed to be “really confident” that the launch would go smoothly. Early Access was likely used as a final test to adjust server capacity and game optimization before the official release.
In addition, Blizzard has promised quarterly content releases, including new stories and cosmetic items. Recently, two expansions in development were announced to be released in the near future.
Positive reviews and highlights
Early reviews of the game have been positive and have contributed to the boost in sales, with some publications giving Diablo IV a perfect score.
However, giving a perfect score to an always-online game can be difficult due to server issues that can delay the start of the game.
The story is compelling and surprising, especially in relation to what has happened in Tristram since Diablo III. The combat is as satisfying as in any game in the Diablo series, and Blizzard has created some exciting new gear, with more to come.
Monetization and expansion expectations
The only real criticism there can be of Diablo IV is its monetization model. Many players are not interested in microtransactions, especially in a game that is already priced above $70.
However, all of the items in the shop are purely cosmetic, which means you don’t need to spend extra money on Blizzard.
Also, the game only has three acts compared to the usual four, which could indicate that if Blizzard plans to charge for additional content, it would be wise to make Act 4 free to keep players from getting upset.
We will have to wait and see what Blizzard decides regarding the next expansions.