This Streamer's Diablo Immortal Protest Is Turning Heads

Activision's mobile hack-and-slash "Diablo Immortal" generally pleased critics when it comes to keeping the "Diablo" formula from the console games alive, But as with the majority of games filled with microtransactions, this frustrating part of "Diablo Immortal" prompted understandable backlash from fans and figures in the streaming community. Twitch streamer Quin69 felt these frustrations firsthand in his pursuit of the game's Legendary Gems, spending thousands of dollars and still failing to net his target prize. In the week after the game's launch, Quin69 had spent $10,000 NZD (over $6,000 USD) to try to get a Legendary Gem, but he didn't stop there.

According to a recent Twitter post, Quin69 went on to pay more than $25,000 NZD total to obtain a rare gem. Upon obtaining it live on Twitch, he promptly quit the game, uninstalled it, and cursed Blizzard's name. He then decided to make even more of a statement by reinstalling the game just to waste the gem and destroy it, then removed the game from his PC for good. Fans watching along with Quin69's momentous Twitch stream reacted with delight. 

Conversely, Quin69's move against "Diablo Immortal" drew befuddlement from a number of people on social media. Several have spoken up on Quin69's decision to shell out an immense pile of cash in apparent "protest," questioning how his actions put any pressure on Blizzard.

Quin69 expressed disbelief over Twitter at the amount of his own money he'd spent. Direct responses to the streamer's post joked about the absurd sum, with fellow streamer Asmongold quipping that Quin69 only had "5 more [Legendary Gems] to go."

Not everyone has shared in the laughter, though. One tweet that has received a notable amount of attention came from gaming journalist Andi Hamilton. When VGC posted about Quin69's act of protest, Hamilton pointed out, "I feel that simply not paying Activision $15k is probably a more effective protest." Others have also argued that Quin69 failed to protest in any form, agreeing with the idea that the money only supported Blizzard's microtransation strategies.

However, some viewed Quin69's protest as effective, simply because the large sum itself made a statement. After all, all of Quin69's viewers saw how much money they may have to spend to try to get ahead in the game.

Microtransaction mechanics have long come under fire as a shady practice in the gaming industry in recent years. What many consider the main problem with "Diablo Immortal" will not be the last in this trend, but it seems most gamers are united in a severe distaste for the game's apparent pay-to-win mechanics. Even so, they may want to avoid following Quin69's example.