Diablo IV is not coming to Game Pass according to Blizzard
by Danny Craig
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Blizzard Entertainment
Despite rumors and an apparent "leak," Blizzard’s demon-slaying action RPG will not be coming to Xbox’s subscription service, says the company.
The details:
- PicPay, a Brazilian payment app, was recently spotted advertising Diablo IV's availability on Game Pass before it was quickly removed. The banner read (translated by Reddit user GWaystone): "Available Now. Get it now or play it through Xbox Game Pass." Some speculated that Microsoft's impending acquisition of Activision Blizzard would result in the recently released title being added to the service, citing PicPay as a reputable and widely used app.
- In response to a tweet about the news, Blizzard's president, Mike Ybarra, said, "This is not happening." Although Diablo IV will not be available on Game Pass anytime soon, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer previously stated in September 2022 that the company plans to bring Activision Blizzard's "much-loved library of games" such as Overwatch, Diablo, and Call of Duty to the service once the deal is completed.
- The acquisition is expected to be completed by the July 18 deadline now that the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) attempt to halt the transaction was rejected by the court, leaving the UK as the only major market to have objected to the move. It may, however, close in the region soon because Microsoft and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have agreed to discuss possible amendments to the deal that could result in its approval.
More gaming news:
- Microsoft has confirmed another round of layoffs, laying off over 200 employees based in its Washington offices as well as a portion of remote workers. According to reports, the cuts were made as part of an effort to reduce overall expenses, with 10,000 staff being let go earlier this year.
- A sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor appears to be in the works just months after the game's release. Several new job listings for the series have appeared at Respawn Entertainment, confirming that the project will be built with Unreal Engine 5, as previously rumored.