Diablo Immortal is free-to-play and does not require any money to enjoy the core gameplay experience. However, there are some caveats when it comes to endgame progression and power. Here‘s what you need to know about whether Diablo Immortal is free and what paying gets you.
Leveling Up is Free
The level 1-60 leveling experience in Diablo Immortal is completely free. You can play through the main campaign quests and side quests without spending any money.
It takes most players around 12-20 hours to reach the max level cap of 60. Experienced ARPG veterans can do it faster, while new players will be on the slower end.
So you get a meaty chunk of free content before reaching the "endgame" at max level.
The Endgame Grind Isn‘t Free
Once you hit level 60, the real Diablo Immortal endgame begins – the infinite Paragon level grind.
Paragon goes from 1 to Paragon 800 before capping out. Each Paragon level requires more XP than the last.
Without spending money, progressing Paragon levels slows to a crawl. The game gates certain activities behind Paragon requirements. Getting raid-ready gear also becomes far more difficult.
While you can technically keep playing for free, paying players will blow past you in power. If you care about competitive play, you‘ll need to open your wallet.
Maxing Out a Character Costs a Fortune
To fully maximize a character‘s potential in Diablo Immortal requires a staggering amount of money – estimates peg it around $100,000 or more.
Here‘s a quick rundown of what makes maxing so expensive:
5-star Legendary Gems are vital for endgame. But you can only get them via random loot boxes purchased with real money.
Upgrading Legendary Gems has astronomically low success rates at high ranks, forcing you to buy dozens of copies to max one out.
Each Gem rank requires more duplicate Gems than the last. So the costs compound rapidly.
Gear upgrading uses the same predatory system – with materials only readily available from the cash shop.
This means only extreme "whales" will ever fully max out a character. But spending even $10,000+ for competitive power is feasible for some.
Controversy Around Monetization
Diablo Immortal uses every trick in the book to push players to spend money:
Time gates, caps, and bottlenecks to severely limit free progression
Power tied directly to random drops from purchasable loot boxes
Exponential costs to upgrade gear and gems to get whales hooked
Constant pop-ups and notifications advertising paid products
Many fans consider this monetization extremely aggressive and "pay-to-win," going against franchise norms.
However, financial reports show the tactics are working, with Diablo Immortal exceeding $300 million revenue in 2 months. Whales keep spending despite complaints.
Pick From 6 Classes, Each With Unique Playstyles
Diablo Immortal offers six classes to choose from:
- Barbarian – Rage-fueled brute force melee
- Crusader – Holy warrior that buffs allies
- Demon Hunter – Ranged DPS and mobility
- Monk – Fast-hitting martial arts master
- Necromancer – Minion summoner and DoT specialist
- Wizard – Elemental magic nuker
Each class has completely different skills, gear, and playstyles. Your class matters, so choose one that fits your RPG preferences.
You can eventually create alts to try other classes too. But focus on one main at first.
27 Million Monthly Active Users
Despite all the monetization complaints, Diablo Immortal proves the franchise remains hugely popular.
Activision Blizzard reported 27 million monthly active users during Q3 2022 earnings. That‘s up from 22 million before Diablo Immortal‘s release.
So while the vocal backlash is real, it isn‘t stopping millions from enjoying this free-to-play Diablo experience on mobile and PC.
Just keep your expectations in check, and don‘t get sucked into expensive late game upgrades. The free ride only lasts so long.
