Blizzard Entertainment’s hack-and-slash game ‘Diablo 4’ has successfully completed an open beta test. Reiterating global expectations for ‘Diablo’ intellectual property (IP), attention is focused on whether the game can be improved before its official release.
Diablo 4 held Early Access (preview) for advance buyers from the 18th to the 20th. From the 25th to the dawn of the 28th, an open beta test was held for all users.
The sequel, which will be released 11 years after ‘Diablo 3’, drew attention from users around the world. The Diablo series is Blizzard’s representative IP. Released in 2000, ‘Diablo 2’ is a blockbuster that sold more than 7.5 million copies worldwide. The latest game, Diablo 3, has sold over 30 million copies.
According to Blizzard, the total play time of users who participated in this beta test, including early access, reached 61.56 million hours. The total number of monsters killed was a whopping 29 billion. ‘Ashava’, which appeared as an arena raid boss, was defeated 100,000 times, and 10 million users lost their lives in the process.
In addition to the impressive indicators, user reviews were also positive. It was a limited experience that only grew to level 25, but it was evaluated that it inherited the action and convenience of Diablo 3 well while re-implementing the brutal and dark worldview shown in Diablo 2 . The training system with a high degree of freedom was also well received.
Just got homework. The disconnection phenomenon occurred continuously on high-end computers. Attention was drawn to the fact that the user interface (UI) was less convenient, and there was also a response that the general speed of the game was slow.
Based on the information obtained through this beta test, Blizzard will stabilize the server access environment and add content, etc. Diablo general manager Rod Ferguson, who visited Korea this month, said, “This open beta is not for marketing purposes, but to really test the game. During the two weeks, millions of gamers around the world will enjoy the game. We will conduct a final check to ensure that issues that occurred during this process do not occur after the official launch.”
While a certain level of box office success can be guaranteed through the power of an IP, some point out that the quality of additional content that will eventually be released after the official release is important for long term box office success. Being a live service game where the content is continuously updated rather than just selling packs, it seems necessary to motivate users to remain immersed in the game, including content on the end of the game.
Blizzard has announced that it will be adding content and features every three months. It plans to add a story expansion pack and a season pass to provide a foothold for users to remain immersed in the game. Users are showing interest in how the PvP (user-to-user) system, which was not handled in the last series, will be implemented along with end-game content such as ‘Nightmare Dungeon (tentative name)’.
“The release of Diablo 4 is just the beginning of the journey,” said manager Rod Ferguson. “As it is a live service, new elements will be added continuously.” Meanwhile, Diablo 4 will be released on PC and console platforms on June 6th.
Reporter Moon Dae-chan mdc0504@kukinews.com View articles
