Blizzcon is just a few weeks away and it seems that Diablo might get the biggest push from Blizzard. Along with the teased sequel, the opening ceremonies line up with the release of Diablo 3 on Switch. And to coincide with that new port, Blizzard is pushing to get Diablo 3 cross-play to happen on its hellish RPG.
In a talk with Business Insider, a Blizzard representative stated that cross-play is “a question of when, not if.” The Switch marks the seventh platform where the action RPG has released, including versions on home computers and last-gen consoles. It’s unclear whether older consoles or computers would join in on the fun. However, given this statement, it is certain that active talks are going on. If Blizzard and the three major platform holders can work together than players will be able to as well.
Talk of cross-play in big games began in earnest with Microsoft bridging the gap between editions of Minecraft. Market rival Sony refused to play ball even as games like Fortnite rose to popularity thanks to their flexibility in play. Big publishers like Bethesda spoke out over Sony’s refusal and the whole debacle even affected the company’s financials for a time.
Eventually, Sony relented, and the feature looks to be headed to many more games in the future. Sony’s cross-play initiative started with Fortnite, whihc was one of the titles spearheading the cross-play effort. Other games like Fallout 76, The Elder Scrolls: Legends, and more are left out in the cold for now. However, if all goes well with these developments, cross-play could come to many more titles in the future.
Diablo 3: Eternal Collection is coming to Nintendo Switch on November 2 for a full $60. As for whether Diablo 3 cross-play will work in time for the full release, only time will tell.
