Activision Blizzard, in its Q4 2012 financial results, has let loose the information that it has sold 12 million copies of Diablo 3, worldwide, as of December 31, 2012, has managed to sell more than 12 million copies worldwide. This is great news for Activision, but fans might not feel too happy about this.
Diablo 3 managed to become the best selling PC game for the 2012 calendar year. This could be due to the franchise popularity among fans and the always-on Internet DRM feature that made it impossible for the game to be pirated. When pirates are unable to pirate a game they want to play, they'll have no choice but to either purchase the game or simply leave it alone.
This is also proof that always-on Internet DRM can work, but it might not work for every game developer at this point. Also, not everyone who are playing video games have an Internet connection. Yes, the majority of them do but that doesn't mean the minority should be tossed aside like pigs for the slaughter house.
With Diablo 3 doing well and putting a ton of money into the pocket of Activision Blizzard, we doubt gamers who purchased the game are sharing the same joy. According to many PC gamers, Diablo 3 was a complete letdown compared to the previous title. I have never played the game so I am unable to comment from personal experience, thus the only thing to do here is take players' word for it.
It's a bit sad in a way, because gamers waited 10 years to play Diablo 3, only to be disappointed. It wouldn't be the first time, however. Who remembers Duke Nukem Forever? A long wait that only brought tears and sorrow in the end.
