Summary
Blizzard Entertainment has revealed thatDiablo 4players will soon be able to play the title on Steam. The announcement came at the most recent developer livestream, whereDiablo 4’s Season of Bloodwas discussed, as well as the quality-of-life changes that were on the way to Sanctuary. There’s been a lot of resentment from the majority ofDiablo 4players over the way Season of the Malignant was handled, especially due to its initial release with Patch 1.1, but Blizzard has made strides to course-correct, and the upcoming Season is meant to be the next leap on that journey.
It is slated to introduce new Bosses, new Unique items, a stash search function, a stat overhaul, and more. Key among the recent reveals is the introduction of Uber Duriel as a means tofarm Uber Uniques inDiablo 4, previously considered to be so unobtainable that it bordered on satire. Though the amount of players in-game has dwindled, and viewership on Twitch has gone down by over 98%, Blizzard is not only dedicated in continuing its support ofDiablo 4, but the company is also looking to expand its pool of players by launching on Steam.
Previously a Battle.net exclusive on PC,Diablo 4will join the ranks ofOverwatch 2to become the second major Blizzard game to release on Steam – effective from October 17 when the Season of Blood hits the live servers. Given thereview bombing thatOverwatch 2enduredwhen it launched on the platform, there is a high likelihood that players will do the same withDiablo 4. That being said, whereasOverwatch 2is a free-to-play title,Diablo 4needs to be purchased, which may curb the flood of negative reviews to some degree. It is important to note that Steam users will also need a Battle.net account to access the game, as they will receive the full benefits of its cross-platform play.
As grim as the situation may seem,Diablo 4’s predecessor similarly had a less-than-stellar launch. It went on to completely redefine itself withReaper of Souls, and has established itself over the years as a beloved title in theDiablofranchise. The blueprint for redemption is there, and the precedent is already set – withDiablo 4being a live service title, as well as having at least two expansions on the way, Blizzard has ample opportunities to appease the community with much-needed changes.
Season 3 will continue to build upon the foundations laid by the Season of Blood by adding leaderboards for Nightmare Dungeons to the game. Though Blizzard has gone on record to state that a significant overhaul to itemization wasn’t in the works just yet,Diablo 4fans should mark BlizzCon 2023as an important date in their calendars. WithDiablo 4making its way to Steam, perhaps it won’t be long untilWorld of Warcraftjoins the fray.
Diablo 4is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Diablo 4 Needs a Plan B Ahead of Season of Blood
