The addictive gambling mechanics aren't isolated from the addictive gameplay mechanics, but instead are tied directly into combat and loot drops in the game. Diablo IV Gold is uniquely well-positioned do this; as my friend Maddy Myers pointed out, these games that focus on loot have always been characterized as slot machines, which Diablo Immortal's business model renders an actual.

Blizzard has tried to make clear that Immortal's monetization is able to be ignored until the final game this is the case and they claim that the majority of players play the game without paying a dime, which is reasonable. It's not right to say that the real pleasure of Diablo games is in the experience of playing through the story, instead of maximizing your character. It's as deceitful to suggest that these games have always been designed to instill an obsession with hitting the power cap for the players. For people who are inclined towards addiction to gambling, or toward the addictive qualities of Diablo's item game- or, even worse, both -- the crest system of old is highly exploitative and may be damaging.

For those who don't it's just a matter of making Diablo less fun.

There was a time when we were here or in a similar situation. When Diablo 3 came out in 2012 it came with an auction house in real money that players could buy and sell their item drops. In theory, it was there to stop the fraud and cheating that plagued players with Diablo 2. However, in order to direct players towards an auction house Blizzard lowered loot drop rates in Diablo 3 to such an extent that equipping your character's character turned into a boring grind and the game was uninteresting to play. After the unpopular auction house was taken down and drop rates were increased in 2014 Diablo 3 instantly became more enjoyable, and this was even before the innovations of the Reaper of Souls expansion brought the game to a classic level.

Lesson: It might make sense on paper trying to make money off Diablo's loot. However, once you begin doing you're removing enjoyment out of the game. It's the same with Diablo 4 Gold Immortal, and it's evident before you even reach the endgame because it's baked deep into the game's gameplay. The drop of loot is less effective and character progression is artificially throttled and thinly spread over too many systemsthat are hard and difficult to play. The game has been better concealed than it was at the start of Diablo 3, but it's the same boring grind. Buying a battle pass or paying a huge sum for legendary crests isn't much help, because paying for an awesome item drop isn't as exciting like just getting one.