Diablo 4 is coming to Xbox Game Pass this March, more Activision Blizzard games to follow [UPDATED]
Blizzard’s popular ARPG is headed to Microsoft’s buffet-style gaming subscription service.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
What you need to know
Update 2/15/2024 at 6:10 p.m. PT / 9:10 p.m. ET:Microsoft has clarified that only Xbox Game Pass for Console and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to play Diablo 4 through Game Pass, asreportedby The Verge’s Tom Warren. Xbox Game Pass Core, the tier of the service thatreplaced Xbox Live Gold last yearand offers access to console multiplayer as well as a very limited selection of games, will not include Diablo 4 access.
There are those that said this day would never come, but here we are: Microsoft has revealed thatDiablo 4, last year’s hugely popular entry in Blizzard Entertainment’s iconic ARPG series, is coming to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service on March 28.
Notably, this is just about two weeks before April 16, 2024, which is when Diablo 4 Season 3 is expected to end and Season 4 is likely to begin. Windows Central’s Managing Editor Jez Corden hassaidthat he’s been told Season 4 is “the big one,” so the game’s Game Pass release date might end up being one of the best times for new players to jump into Diablo 4.
The news came in a highly anticipated"Update on the Xbox Business" videothat Microsoft announced last week and released todayamid swirling rumors about the death of Xbox-exclusive games. In it, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, Xbox president Sarah Bond, and Game Content and Studios president Matt Booty discussed the company’s Xbox plans and business strategies moving forward.
Notably, Sarah Bond also confirmed that other Activision Blizzard games are coming toXbox Game Passas well — the publisher and all of its gamesare now under Microsoft’s umbrella, after all — though she didn’t mention which titles will appear on the service specifically. I suspect we’ll learn more in the near future, however, especially once Diablo 4 becomes available for subscribers. Could we seeCall of Dutyon Game Pass? If you ask me, it’s definitely a possibility.
-Best Xbox headsets in 2024-Best upcoming Xbox games-Best Xbox controllers-Best Xbox accessories-Best gaming laptops in 2024
Additionally,Phil Spencer confirmed that four Xbox games are headed to PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switchduring this roundtable chat. Though he didn’t name which games these are since he would prefer to let their developers make the announcements, Spencer did note that two of the games were smaller titles that “were never really meant to be built as platform exclusives,” while the other two are larger “community-driven games.” Also, all of them are over a year old, and none of the games areStarfieldor the upcomingMachineGames' Indiana Jones adventure title, which are two of Xbox’s largest exclusive projects in recent years.
Analysis: Great news for Xbox gamers
WhileI can’t exactly blame people for doubting Microsoft’s handling of Xbox, all that drama from last week turned out to be a gigantic nothingburger. In fact, this video is more positive than anything else, as Xbox has exciting plans for future hardware, has been extremely selective with what games it’s bringing to other platforms, and is adding Activision Blizzard games like Diablo 4 and others to Game Pass in the near future.
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
Can you imagine games like Call of Duty, Diablo II: Resurrected, or — dare I even suggest it? — evenWorld of Warcrafton Game Pass? Only time will tell if these specific games end up on the service, of course, but it’s an exciting thought.
Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once.Follow him on X(Twitter).
