Diablo Immortal’s microtransactions have already inspired a few protests, including YouTubers abandoning playing the game entirely, and one streamer deliberately destroying a five-star legendary gem, after it cost them $15,000.
Well, now the yeeting continues, as one fansite, Maxroll, announces that it is obliterating every single guide it has ever published on Diablo Immortal, in protest of the game’s overall design and monetisation systems.
The site, which also covers Diablo 2, Diablo 3, and Lost Ark, has been publishing material regarding Immortal since the launch of the game’s technical alpha in December 2020. However, it has now taken the decision to delete all its Diablo Immortal guides and stories, essentially expelling the game from Maxroll entirely. In a recent statement, the site explains that it feels it cannot continue to cover Diablo Immortal “in good faith”.
“We had high hopes for Blizzard’s Diablo Immortal release since it could ingratiate a new audience and generation of gamers to a franchise we love,” says the site. “For two years our team (along with the community) thoroughly tested the tech alpha, closed alpha, and closed beta, concluding that the core game could be moulded into something great.
“With how the release turned out, we couldn’t have been more disappointed. Maxroll exists to provide a service to our community members, and we consider it our duty to be good caretakers for them. As such, we cannot in good faith continue to cover this game.”
Maxroll provides a list of reasons that it has chosen to remove the Diablo Immortal branch of its site, including “unrewarding gameplay” and “disengagement and community response”. The “biggest reason” behind Maxroll’s decision, however, is Immortal’s economic structure and microtransaction systems, which the site describes as “completely against our values”.
“The predatory pay-to-win system greatly exceeds what’s considered the norm for mobile gaming,” the site continues. “Gambling addictions are real and can completely destroy lives. Even if 99% of players have perfect impulse control, we still can’t stomach what happens to the other 1%. This is completely against our values and we will not remain a part of this any longer.”
As of this writing, guides for Diablo Immortal are still available on Maxroll, with the site explaining they will remain accessible for a “short period of time” so that players can save any information from them that they may need. After that, no further updates will be made, and links to Diablo Immortal have already been removed from Maxroll’s homepage.
