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Are you curious whether Diablo 4 is a live service game? Stick around for an in-depth explanation of how this type of model works and how it may affect the gameplay experience in Diablo 4.
Diablo 4 is the fourth mainline installment to the wildly popular ARPG series from Blizzard, offering up loads of new content with seasonal drops and encouraging die-hard fans to continue their journey in Sanctuary after they’ve completed the base game. Released back in June, the title’s first season has finally arrived over a month later, delivering necessary updates as well as a plethora of new quests and rewards. As it stands, this model is what defines a live service game. Let’s discuss what that means for Diablo 4.
Does Diablo 4 Have a Live Service Game Model?
Diablo 4 is a live service game — and it’s not the first in the series. Marking the fourth mainline entry to the franchise, Diablo 4 utilizes the same tried-and-true model that’s driven the series forward, one which started with Blizzard’s culturally significant release, World of Warcraft. Renowned for having pioneered live service games, Blizzard continues the trend with Diablo 4, which has just entered its first season.
Entitled Season of the Malignant, the highly anticipated debut season of Diablo 4 has also introduced a new monster type by the same name and a handful of particularly monstrous technical errors, making it difficult for players to progress through the season’s new content and pricey Battle Passes. As such, a large portion of the community is now at odds regarding the game’s buggy live service model, which is designed to keep players, well, playing.
Despite the discourse, Diablo 4 remains the destination point for long lines of traffic thanks to yesterday’s seasonal drop. Set to run for about three months, Season of the Malignant promised us an all-new path to explore in Diablo 4. Let’s hope it’s one that Blizzard can keep in the coming months.
For more on Diablo 4 – Season of the Malignant and related titles, check out these additional guides from our team: How to Solve the Secrets of the Spring Riddle in Diablo 4 and Diablo 4 Alternatives – 7 Top Games Like Diablo IV.