The big Diablo IV and Berserk crossover event by Blizzard concludes on June 3; yet, you could say that this one managed to ruffle a few feathers in the player base. Truly a dream crossover for both franchises, with gear and cosmetics inspired by the dark fantasy manga Berserk upping the ante in Sanctuary. The flood of the nightmare horror highway comments on Diablo’s official Twitter page, already speak loads with an undertone of irony.
So, what’s the huge issue here? Besides the price point, the majority of the players had similar vines to say that the cosmetics for Berserk appeared unjustified. They felt it was too steep a price since you hardly ever peep at your character. @DMBinion put the situation straight: “Overpriced cosmetics for a game where you can barely see your character..makes sense.” And he wasn’t alone. Dozens of replies emotional echoing: @JM_ArqUrb sarcastically suggested the “claim” really meant “purchase of overpriced skins.”
Well, the players were somewhat dissatisfied with the price. The event was contained by time; hence, players had to make moves to gather in-game currency (Behelits) for some of the rewards. @Groggy_Style had a full measure: “I hate the time-gating + currency that you have to MANUALLY pick up. Lovely event.” Essentially, there were so many bitter comments on the pricing that @itschchcharlie ended up uninstalling the game: “I was so hyped for this event. The pricing pushed me to delete the game though.”
There was an aggravating fact with the class as well. Some players, like @Keisaraynja_, logged in excited about showing off their favorite Berserk looks…until they realized their characters couldn’t even equip the calculated gear. “I was so hyped for this just to log-in and be slapped with some cosmetics I can’t even use because I’m a Sorc Main,” they tweeted with all the emphasis of a very disappointed emoji.
Were some borderline in their opposition to the event? @WaterJunkieCat said to the complainers: “You don’t have to spend $$ you absolute morons. Play the game, kill monsters, find Behelits.” But then they went ahead and admitted they were still 80 Behelits short from claiming the gear, with the event less than days away from concluding, so that’s gonna be tricky.
The bigger problem here is the monetization that Blizzard is trying to implement in Diablo IV. Without restraint, @OmegaSaiyanX said: “Cosmetic trash fit for the bin, we need actual content that enhances gameplay, better loot, more story!!” And @ShadyRiv deemed the entire thing as greedy, saying that Blizzard “killed a great idea by monetizing it to death.”
So where does that leave us? The Berserk crossover was a nice idea: Guts’ iconic armor and Griffith’s elegant designs fit Diablo’s dark aesthetic perfectly. But, a hike in prices, an enraging grind, and limited use meant that the players were expecting more. With mere days remaining before the counter runs out, it is unlikely that Blizzard will make any major changes. Maybe, just maybe, they will listen to the feedback for the next crossover.
Or, you know, they will just drop another $25 skin bundle and call it a day. Either way, the Diablo IV Berserk event will soon be off the map—and, judging by the responses, few will actually mourn it.
