Highlights
- Diablo 4 players can now purchase a new mount, the Crystal-Clad, as part of a $65 bundle that includes 7,000 Platinum, premium Battle Passes, and Battle Pass Tier Skips.
- This bundle offers a good deal for players who already buy Platinum, but it may disappoint those who simply want the mount and have to pay the price of a new game for a cosmetic item.
- Blizzard’s decision to release this bundle shows that they are trying to maintain existing prices and respond to complaints about high prices in the microtransaction shop, despite ongoing controversy.
Diablo 4 players are getting access to another mount this week, but it comes as part of a bundle with a price tag of $65. Blizzard’s latest installment in the long-running action RPG series launched last year and, since then, it’s had its ups and downs. Diablo 4 received solid reviews and attracted large numbers of players, but it has also faced criticism at times for performance issues, the roll-out of new content, and its use of microtransactions.
Shortly after its launch, Diablo 4 players were upset about microtransactions. This frustration stemmed from what was seen as high prices for cosmetic items and the fact that these prices came on top of the cost of the game itself as well as, for some, the additional battle pass. Now, Blizzard is releasing more premium content that could reignite this controversy.
February 21 is Going to Be a Big Day For Diablo 4 Fans
With Diablo 4’s recent Season of the Construct being somewhat controversial among fans, disappointed players may want to keep an eye on February 21.
On Twitter, World of Warcraft and Diablo 4 news site Wowhead has reported that a new mount, the Crystal-Clad, is now available for purchase as part of the $65 Vitreous Scourge bundle. The bundle in question can be acquired through Tejal’s Shop and includes 7,000 Platinum, the in-game currency that can be used to buy cosmetics, as well as premium Battle Passes and Battle Pass Tier Skips. That amount of Platinum, if purchased separately, would cost slightly more than $65, while taking advantage of bulk savings on large amounts of the currency, could net a player 7,200 Platinum for roughly the same price as the new bundle.
The Mount Bundle is a Good Deal for Those Already Buying Platinum
This isn’t the first time Blizzard has offered a mount at this price tag. Last year, Diablo 4 got a $65 mount bundle that included a mount and associated armor. That time, the bundle simply offered the horse and armor at a cost of $65 worth of Platinum, meaning players had to incur the whole cost simply for these cosmetics. This new bundle actually includes roughly $65 worth of Platinum, making it a great deal for fans that are already buying the premium currency but offering nothing of value for those that simply want the cool new mount.
Fans are likely to be split on this new bundle as it essentially provides a free mount for those buying Platinum while forcing others to pay roughly the cost of a new game for a single cosmetic item. Industry observers have argued that Diablo 4’s microtransaction shop has been caught in a tough position for some time, with Blizzard facing a choice of how to respond to complaints about prices. This latest bundle would seem to indicate that the developer is looking for a way to keep prices the same for the time being.
Despite this ongoing controversy, the action RPG does appear to be going strong, maintaining a passionate player base and rolling out new content. A new Diablo 4 patch has been revealed for February 14 that promises to fix bugs and give players new ways to get some of the best loot. Whether these regular updates and fresh features outweigh complaints about microtransactions among gamers in the long term remains to be seen.
Diablo 4
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Diablo 4 is an action RPG developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It’s the fourth mainline game in the franchise and lets players pick from five playable classes as they explore an open world Sanctuary in order to take down Lilith, while also completing quests, leveling up, and gaining better loot.
