Blizzard confirms Diablo 4's Game Pass future

With Microsoft's Activision merger pending, many long-time fans of the Diablo franchise were hopeful that the deal would close before the red-hot fourth instalment was released, meaning a possible Game Pass arrival could be on the way.

Nearly a decade after the release of Diablo III, Blizzard's fourth title in the main series is set to be released on June 6, 2023. It's just a matter of weeks after many of the governing bodies investigating Microsoft's purchase of the developing studios are set to be ruled upon.

But, it appears that neither Blizzard nor Microsoft actually intends to change anything about the launch of the blockbuster Diablo 4. With it any hopes of the title coming to Game Pass in the near future have just been squashed.

Diablo 4 devs rule out Game Pass arrival

Diablo 4's release date is nearing but some more sceptical fans have been put off the game by the large $70/£70 price tag and were hoping to get a full test of the game on Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass.

But before the beta run, Diablo General Manager Rod Fergusson has ruled out any notion of a Game Pass release, claiming that they have "no plans" for their title to land on Xbox's subscription service.

Fergusson's typical to-the-point manner seemed pretty certain that Diablo 4 won't be coming soon, but there will be a chance to get to grips with the game before paying the premium price...

Diablo 4 developers implore fans to join in the beta

Instead of a Game Pass release, Diablo is holding a beta weekend on March 17 (not the early access from pre-orders) and Fergusson has now implored fans to take this opportunity to get an understanding of what Diablo 4 has to offer.

Obviously, betas work both ways, too, with developers getting an early chance to find any bugs or glitches before the full release and players weighing up whether it's worth the investment.

With a full live service package coming to Diablo 4, much like Blizzard's other games like Overwatch, you can expect to see the developers strive for longevity with their dungeon-crawler and keep the game fresh and alive.