Unintentional clicks resulting in loss of $7.50 worth of platinum by Diablo 4 players, due to the problematic user interface design of its reliquary system.
Alrighty then, time to dive back into the murky waters of Diablo 4's questionable monetization tactics, my dear reader! The recent reliquary system update has players scratching their heads – and complaining – due to a series of slippery slopes designed to snatch your hard-earned cash.
Say hello to mandatory virtual currency stickers plastered onto virtual horses, or exorbitantly priced in-game dinos waving "limited-time offer" flags. But wait, there's more! Patch 2.2 brought us another kink in the belt: oversights that have players inadvertently emptying their wallets.
Introduced as an alternative to linear battle passes, this reliquary system seems promising. Instead of pushing players through a track of undesirable loot, you can customize your way, right? If only it weren't for a few wicked patterns lurking in the shadows. As WoWHead gleefully reported, users are, well, not happy.
The misfortune starts with a confusingly placed purchase button. A splash of dark UX design, if you will. It's temptingly centered on the screen, and it shares equal priority with the "claim" option – that's if you haven't fully grasped the system's workings yet. Ever found yourself flipping through screens while zoning out and accidentally clicked that "purchase with platinum" button? Yep, ain't that a peach!
The sting is even worse on consoles, as part-time PUBG player Swiftfooted pointed out on the game's subreddit. Navigation starts with the "cancel" button, making it all too easy to click "claim" instead, and draining players' platinum stashes like there's no tomorrow.
Another snag? There are three options to buy reliquaries. You can go for the reasonably priced 1000 platinum bundle, which, at around $10/£8.30, seems like a steal compared to individually priced 500 platinum reliquaries. Or, you can fork over nearly three times as much for the oddly-titled Deluxe Battle Pass Bundle. What's the catch? Instant access to armors you could've grinded out, some random wings, and a tiny owl, dear friend, for the bargain price of $25/£21. Let me spell it out for ya: NOT A GOOD VALUE PROPOSITION, NO MATTER HOW YOU SLIICE IT.
Top that off with the issue of misclicks causing you to shell out big bucks on armor sets after buying a reliquary – that costs you around 3/4ths of the combined reliquaries' price – and you can see why players are crying foul. It's as if Blizzard's designers are eager to manifest Hansel and Gretel's witch-like money-loving tendencies in the world of Diablo.
To put it plainly, this is some atrocious UI design at best, with no reason not to have a confirm screen, or to make the premium purchase smaller, more easily recognizable, and less of a nuisance for players using a gamepad. For the love of the Diablo, simply add a confirm screen!
Chatter with Harvey Randall:A lifelong gamer, Harvey's addiction to World of Warcraft began at the tender age of 12. Since then, he's been cursed with Final Fantasy 14-brain and a strange affinity for G'raha Tia. Starting as a freelancer, Harvey's written for a slew of websites, including Techradar, The Escapist, Dicebreaker, The Gamer, Into the Spine, and your very own PC Gamer. He adores RPGs, soulslikes, deckbuilders, MMOs, weird indie titles, TTRPGs, and drowning in virtual currency dilemmas. His affection for gaming knows no bounds, and he's ready to sink his teeth into anything intriguing that the digital world has to offer.
[1] "Diablo 4 Reliquary system: Accidental purchasing issues lead to player frustration." (WoWHead) Retrieved from https://www.wowhead.com/news/diablo-4-reliquary-system-accidental-purchasing-issues-lead-to-player-frustration[2] "Diablo 4's Reliquary system stirs controversy with predatory monetization practices." (TechRaptor) Retrieved from https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/diablo-4s-reliquary-system-stirs-controversy-with-predatory-monetization-practices[3] "Why Diablo 4's Reliquary system needs a rework." (PC Gamer) Retrieved from https://www.pcgamer.com/why-diablo-4s-reliquary-system-needs-a-rework
- In the world of Diablo 4, players are finding themselves spending money on non-essential items like virtual currency stickers for virtual horses or oversized, limited-time in-game dinosaurs.
- The introduction of the reliquary system, touted as an alternative to linear battle passes, has seen its fair share of criticisms, with users complaining about overpriced options and confusingly placed purchase buttons.
- As more players dive into the gaming world, they come across gadgets like the Deluxe Battle Pass Bundle, offering instant access to armors and other items for a price that many feel is not commensurate with the value received.
- The technology behind Diablo 4's UI design has been called into question, with concerns about true entertainment value overshadowed by accusations of predatory monetization practices and poor user experience design.
