Video Games

Blizzard accidentally revealed how much Diablo 4 microtransactions contributed to the RPG’s sales before hiding it

Blizzard shared in-depth details about Diablo 4 revenue and microtransactions - on accident

Josh Broadwell

Blizzard

Video game developers are often cagey about how much money their projects bring in, but Blizzard actually shared in-depth details about Diablo 4 revenue. On accident, before deleting it soon after (thanks, GamePressure).

Blizzard senior product manager Harrison Froeschke posted on LinkedIn that Diablo 4 has brought in over $1 billion since it launched in June 2023, and $150 million of that came from Diablo 4’s in-game item shop. Froeschke listed the figures in his job description.

“Leading the monetization strategy of the store cosmetics, pricing, bundle offers, personalized discounts, and roadmap planning which have driven over $150M MTX lifetime revenue,” Froeschke said. In another line, he wrote he executed “every step of game sales since game pre-order to the first expansion by configuring and collaborating with other teams resulting in over $1B total lifetime revenue.”

Froeschke has since deleted his post and it seems like his entire LinkedIn account, which doesn’t show up in a LinkedIn or Google search anymore. Oops.

$150 seems like a small number compared to the likes of Fortnite or Call of Duty Warzone, the latter of which Blizzard suggested brought in approximately $500 million through microtransactions in its first six months. However, Diablo 4 is also something of a unique case – a premium game sold at full price with microtransactions that only unlock cosmetics, unlike Activision’s Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, which blocks certain items, including weapons, behind paywalls. Considering how entirely optional it is, having roughly 15 percent of your revenue come from item shop sales is kind of a big deal.

Blizzard probably has even higher sales coming in the near future. Diablo 4’s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, launches on October 8, 2024.

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Josh Broadwell
JOSH BROADWELL

Josh is a freelance writer and reporter who specializes in guides, reviews, and whatever else he can convince someone to commission. You may have seen him on NPR, IGN, Polygon, or Rolling Stone shouting about RPGs. When he isn’t working, you’ll likely find him outside with his Belgian Malinois and Australian Shepherd or leveling yet another job in FFXIV.

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